X men: Evolution of the Heart
by slickboy444
Summary: AU on how the X-men came to be. Major Jott and Kurtty. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue have all had horrible lives. See how they ban together and become the future X-men with the help of Charles Xavier. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Prologue  
  
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Hey everybody, it's me slickboy444. This is just the intro to the story. It is an alternate universe of how the X-men came to be and it has nothing to do with my previous stories. In this story, some characters have a very different past compared to the comic, movie, or show. It is far more depressing and full of angst. While I've tried to stay true to some aspects, I have altered others for the sake of the story. Stay tuned to it if you want to know what those changes are. For the first few chapters it talks about the past of each future X-men. The others, well, you'll just have to wait and see! I don't want to spoil it for you all.  
  
This story is predominately a romance story with plenty of action and drama in between. It is a major Scott/Jean story so if you like them, I think you'll like this story a lot. This story will also be my first attempt to make a Kurt/Kitty romance. I've never done a story with them as a couple before so please bear with me on that. I've simply always thought they looked cute together and seem very well matched in my opinion.  
  
Be warned however! This is a lot more of a MATURE version of X-men Evolution, meaning it will contain harsh language. It also deals with things like child abuse, sexual assault, and violence. Basically, each kid on the team has a far more angsty past. And when I say angst, I mean a LOT of it! So if you are a bit sensitive to things like this, read with caution.   
  
Remember, I do not own X-men in any way, shape, or form so please don't sue. I have nothing. This is just something I wanted to write and it's kind of my own version of the X-men. I also may mention a variety of different songs throughout the story and I don't own them either. The band or singer that made them so don't sue me over those either owns them. I hope you all enjoy it! PLEASE remember to review! Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. I would love to hear what you all think of this and my other stories. PLEASE PLEASE review!  
  
AN: 'these mean character thoughts or psychic communication.'  
  
This story is dedicated to Jen, author of the story "Snow." She is the one who has been such a great inspiration and she deserves a lot of the credit for my writing. So Jen, if you're reading this, this story is for you! And now, I present to you "X-men: Evolution of the Heart."  
  
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	2. Scott Summers

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 1: Scott Summers**

* * *

Through the halls of a run-down apartment in the city of Bayville, New York a small boy ran. He ran and he ran with rivers of tears flowing in his eyes. His head was throbbing, his eyes were burning, and the world around him was spinning. He could feel nothing but pain...Pure, unabated pain.

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU! NOW GET BACK HERE! YOU HERE ME SCOTT! GET BACK HERE!"

The boy's name was Scott Summers. He ran in to his small, dingy bedroom as he tried to get away from the source of that booming voice that was overflowing with anger. The source of that voice was none other then his foster dad, Jack Hellstrom. To say he wasn't the best father would be the understatement of the millenium. He was a violent former convict and had numerous problems with alcohol in the past. For the last three years, the 10-year-old boy had been living under a constant state of fear because of this man. He suffered almost every day he was forced to stay there. He was beaten horribly, abused both verbally and physically, and forced to live a truly miserable existence. And it didn't stop there. He was a small, young, pretty boy who was nothing but a pet to this man and was used in many sick ways. Both he and other violent associates of Jack's had beaten and raped this young boy on numerous occasions. It was so hard to think about...It was so hard to deal with...But there was nothing Scott could do about it. This is where he was sent after...It happened.

Suddenly, Scott's door began to shake violently. He then heard loud pounding against it and saw the rusted hinges holding it up begin to come loose under the strain.

"YOU CAN'T KEEP ME OUT SCOTT! I WILL GET YOU! NOW OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR YOU LITTLE BRAT AND GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU!"

The blistering sound of his foster dad's voice blared incessantly in his mind. He quickly got as far away from the door as he could until he was back against the wall. He sank to his knees in the corner of his small room as the door continued to shake. The pain in his head only got worse as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to make it all go away. But it wouldn't stop; it just kept getting worse. Finally, the hinges on the door gave way and the door fell forward. Scott watched in terror as he saw a very angry Jack step in to his room.

"You little bastard...I knew you were worthless, but now I know you're also just a FREAK! You think I'm gonna forget what you just did!" bellowed Jack.

Scott knew what he was talking about. He didn't know how, but he did do something very wrong. Earlier that day after Scott had returned from school, and Jack had yelled with great anger at him for being home so late. He demanded an explanation, but when Scott said he needed some help with his homework Jack didn't buy it. And in reality it was kind of a lie. The real reason Scott had stayed at school many hours afterwards was because he didn't want to go home. He knew that the second he walked in the door, the whole cycle of torment would start all over again. Unfortunately, he had been right. Jack went ballistic when he got home and wouldn't stop yelling at the young boy for no other reason than to vent his fiery temper on somebody.

However, today something happened...Something totally unexplained. When Jack began to yell at him he felt something strange. He didn't know what it was, but it was very strong. Scott remembered Jack yelling at him, then he remembered an intense headache, and finally a great pressure that seemed to come from his eyes. The last thing he remembered was seeing his vision turn a bright shade of red and feeling a massive surge of energy shoot from his eyes. The blast was strong; it went through several more walls before it shot out of the building. In the process it had almost hit Jack and that was what sent him over the edge.

Scott watched the angry middle-aged man approach him. He also saw something in his hand. He gasped when he saw that it was a large kitchen knife. The young boy's mind began to race with a surge of anxiety and fear. Was this it? Was this how it was going to end?

"I...I...I'm sorry," said Scott who began to choke on his own sobs. "I didn't mean to..."

"You didn't mean to what! I saw what happened!" said Jack as he cut Scott off. "You did that on purpose and I know it! Now you have to pay the price!"

Scott felt it again. He felt the intense pain and pressure he felt earlier coming from his head. Only this time it was many times stronger and the pain didn't just stay in his head, it went throughout his entire body. Jack was getting closer, the pain only got worse. Then, Jack let out a loud yell as he lunged forth at the boy.

"NO!" yelled Scott as he looked straight at the oncoming man.

He saw Jack's body fly back as if a truck had hit him head on. His vision had again become engulfed in a bright red haze. A blast had erupted from his eyes and as his vision drifted off to the side he saw it destroy anything he looked at. Finally he closed his eyes and collapsed on the dirty, dusty floor beside him.

He squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he could, trying to stop the intense pressure in his head that just wouldn't stop. He tried and he tried, until finally he suppressed it. The intense headache was still there, but he forced himself to manage it. Slowly, he rose to his feet and looked at what he had just done. It wasn't long before he felt tears in his eyes once again as a mixture of sadness, anxiety, and fear gripped the young boy.

"What...What have I done? What's happening to me?" choked Scott as he walked over to Jack's unconscious body.

He was still breathing. It both relieved and terrified Scott to no end. When Jack woke up and remembered what happened, he would be beyond furious. Scott ran back in to his room as fast as he could; he knew he couldn't stay. If he did, he would only suffer...And die. As quick as he could, Scott grabbed a medium sized bag and stuffed it with whatever he could. He was only able to get a couple changes of cloths and a small stash of food. He then scurried down the stairs of the fire escape and stepped in to the alley. Then he ran in to the stormy night. He ran and he never looked back. Young Scott Summers had left the hell that was his foster home and was now just a 10-year-old boy drifting in the streets.

His body soon gave in to fatigue and he stopped running. The streets of downtown Bayville were unusually quiet. Only the lights from the windows in the buildings above could be seen. Scott soon heard thunder in the air and soon bolts of lightning began to flash. This was the inner city, he had to find shelter and he had to find it soon. For what seemed like hours Scott wandered the darkened streets of Bayville with no destination in mind. He just wanted to get away from all the suffering he had faced in his short life.

Rain began to fall and the thunder began to get louder. Once again he felt intense pressure in his head again. His eyes began to burn again and his vision started to get blurry. He suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented.

"Somebody...Please help me..." said Scott in a weak voice, but nobody was there. Nobody was listening.

He soon stumbled in to an alley near an old abandon apartment building. Through his blurred vision he saw an old, rusty door. He grabbed the knob and found it was open, for the lock had rusted away. Slowly, he made his way in to the rickety building and made his way to the basement. For brief instances he saw his vision clear up only to become blurred again, however he was able to make out numerous crates, boxes, and garbage bags littering the room. He moved over on top of a large cluster of bags and felt his knees collapse beneath him. Behind him there was an old dirty mirror that looked like it had many cracks in it. It was hard to tell with Scott's worsening vision. With his hands he cleared away some of the dust and looked in the mirror.

His eyes...They were glowing. They were a ruby red color and they flickered like florescent lights. Soon, he felt a large burst of energy in his eyes, but this time he quickly slammed them shut. He tried to open them again, but burst was still there waiting to be released. Gradually, he felt his headache waver, but the pressure in his eyes became a constant. Fearing for his life he reached in to his bag, grabbed a shirt, and wrapped it around his eyes like a bandana as tight as he could. When he felt they were tight enough, he collapsed on the ground in a fit of exhaustion. He tried to calm down and stop this strange energy that wouldn't go away. However, he just couldn't. Before they had just flickered, but now they just wouldn't cease.

As the pain began to wane he wondered what has going to happen now. He couldn't go back to Jack Hellstrom; that would mean certain death. He couldn't go to school, for they would simply send him back to Jack or stick him in an orphanage. Jack had special ties with social services and there is no doubt that if they ever found him he would be sent straight back. His foster dad had no use for him other than for child support money and a scapegoat to suffer his heinous temper. Nobody would want him now; nobody could ever take care of a freak. He had nobody to turn to anymore...Nobody.

With all his strength he tried to forget the events of the night, but he couldn't. He tried to forget the events of the last three years, but he couldn't. He just...Couldn't. Soon, he felt the whole nightmare start again before the blackness in his eyes. It was the nightmare that had haunted him since that one fateful day in the skies over Alaska.

FLASHBACK

"Mommy, what's burning?" asked a seven-year-old Scott Summers as he sat in a seat on his father's plane.

"Oh my God. Honey, get Alex quick!" replied his mother as her face became full of grave concern.

Scott quickly found his younger brother and saw he father rushing out of the cockpit with two strange-looking backpacks in hand. The smell of something burning began to get stronger.

"Quickly," said his father with a face full growing concern, "Put these on."

As fast as they could, Christopher and Katherine Summers strapped the parachutes on to Scott and his little brother Alex. Soon, the two young boys began to feel their parents' anxiety. Then they saw flames out the windows on the engines, and suddenly a terrible sense of understanding came over them.

"Now listen Scott, you too Alex. I'm going to need you both to be very brave and jump. Then pull these chords to open your parachutes," explained their father.

"No...No daddy I can't," said Scott as he became very scared by what his father was saying.

"You have to. Please, you have to do this. You need to look after Alex," said Scott's father as he watched his son grow more frightened.

"But what about you and mommy?" said Alex as he too was beginning to comprehend the severity of the situation.

"We'll be fine," said Katherine, "But you need to go now!"

Then, the door to the plane was forced open by Christopher Summers. The scared young boys then felt the cold Alaskan air engulf them.

"Mommy, Daddy please don't make us go. We want to stay with you," cried Scott as they looked out the door.

"No, you can't. You have to go," said his mother has she hugged her two sons along with their father. "You have to go now."

The two boys made their way to the edge and tightly grabbed each other's hand. However, they wouldn't let go of their parents. Suddenly, the plane began to shake violently and the fires outside the plane grew larger.

"JUMP NOW!" yelled Christopher Summers.

With no other choice, the two young boys finally did what their father ordered and leapt in to the frigid arctic air. Soon, they felt the wind pull them apart as they struggled to open their chutes. Finally, they pulled the ripcord and felt their fall rapidly decelerate. As they looked back up, they watched in horror as the plane carrying their parents exploded in to a fireball. The two boys watched as fire consumed their mother and father. Soon, fiery debris fell towards them and Scott felt himself fall faster once again. He looked up to see his parachute on fire. That's not all he saw, however. Scott then saw a large chunk of the plane then descended upon Alex.

"SCOTT!" yelled Alex as his older brother fell out of sight.

"ALEX!"

The last thing he remembered before passing out was seeing his little brother consumed by flame.

END FLASHBACK

He was in a coma for two months after that plane crash. When Scott woke up, he learned his parents and brother were dead and he was the only survivor. He kept praying that it was all a bad dream and that he would wake up in his old room. However, this nightmare was real. There was no escaping it, try as he might.

"Why..." said the timid boy aloud. "Why me? What have I done to deserve this...What? I never mean to hurt anybody, I've always been a nice person...Why? Why has everything been taken away from me? Why..."

He soon lost control of his sobs and just cried. He cried and cried, wishing that it would all just go away. He had his family taken away, he had his childhood taken away, and now he was about to have his vision taken away as well. What more could he give? What else was there?

So many times he contemplated suicide, more times than any ten-year-old should ever have to. He even attempted to carry it out after he came out of his coma. He tried to slit his wrists and bleed to death, but he survived. At first he thought it was a cruel act by some higher being, but when he was unconscious, something else happened. He had dream...A dream about an angel, a dream he would never forget. He saw a girl, a beautiful redheaded girl, reach out to him and take his hand. He remembered the warm feeling he got when he held it and then saw her smile warmly at him. She would say to him in a heavenly voice, "Everything is going to be all right."

For a brief moment, Scott Summers felt that dream all over again. He had it many times afterwards. To this day it helps to calm him down. He shifted he body to the side in order to sleep, but he soon felt himself land on something. He picked it up and ran his hands along it. Scott soon determined that this was a guitar.

He gently plucked the strings and heard that it sounded good even though it was dusty. As he dusted it off, he was reminded of his father and how he loved to play the guitar for him. Some of Scott's earliest memories were of the gentle songs his father would play him for hours at a time. When he was four, his dad started to teach him how to play and he learned fast over the years. It became Scott's favorite hobby up until the plane crash. Ever since then he was never able play much because Jack never bought him anything along those lines. He never forgot, however, in spite of all these setbacks. To Scott, the sound of a guitar was like an ode to the family he had lost.

Scott rested the instrument on his knees and even though he couldn't see, he could still play beautifully. He soon found himself playing a haunting tune that his father loved to play all the time. And through the sound of the storm outside, he began to sing and he felt his father's voice sing with him.

And as Scott continued to play the haunting tune in to the stormy night, he felt himself tire and soon he fell asleep. He was living on the streets, he had nobody to turn to, he had nowhere to go. He had no money, he had nothing anymore. Now he had lost his eyes and in the coming days he would have to learn to see again. He was now out for survival and it was unclear how long he could survive. But with the guitar in his hands and the dreams in his mind, there remained a faint beacon of light. Whether or not that light would go out was unclear. There was still a pain in the young boy's head. There were still memories he wished he didn't have. However, there was nothing he could do about it. As Scott Summers drifted off to sleep he wept, but unfortunately there was nobody there to weep with him.

* * *

AN: Well, there's Scott's chapter. I know it's depressing. Next is Jean Grey so stay tuned if you want to know how her past will be in this story. REMEMBER TO REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW! Post it on or send them to me at Well, that's it for now, so best wishes to you all and thanks for reading! 


	3. Jean Grey

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 2: Jean Grey**

AN: This takes place 2 years after the last chapter. So Scott and Jean are both 12 years old in this part.

* * *

Slowly, a young red headed girl made her way up to the door of her home. The sun had set an hour ago and the crisp evening air blew across the streets. Jean Grey was a beautiful, kind, caring young girl, but she hated coming back to this place she had to call home. Her average sized house in the suburbs in upstate New York was anything but a pleasant place to live. It wasn't the house itself...It was the person inside the house that made it so painful to come home to every night. It was her father, John Grey.

Wearily, Jean opened the front door as slow as she could and looked inside. There was no sign of her father, so she silently walked towards the stairs. Then the thick, fowl scent of liquor filled the air around her and she started to panic. Suddenly, she heard a loud booming voice come from upstairs.

"JEAN!"

The young girl then saw a figure appear at the top of the stairs. She instantly froze in fear.

"Where hell were you?" he demanded with a drunken slur apparent in his speech.

"I...I was playing soccer at school," she answered meekly, hoping her father would believe it, for it was the truth.

She always tried to stall coming home, so she stayed at school as long as she could without raising suspicions from others. Today, she had stayed until dark, much longer than usual. Jean knew her father might not believe that. However, alcohol had made him so irrational he would still get angry for things that he alone thought were true. Jean watched as he descended the stairs. He began to stumble as he approached the fearful redhead. Jean tried to back away as she watched her father tower over her. Then, without warning, he slapped the young girl as hard as he could across the face.

"BULLSHIT!" bellowed the drunken man as Jean fell the floor.

Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes as she started to sob at her father's harshness. There never seemed to be a moments rest. When he was sober he was angry, and when he was drunk he was furious. Beatings from this man had become a way of life to Jean Grey.

"It's too dark out for soccer, where were you really?" yelled the man before her.

Jean didn't answer. He'd still get mad if she lied. She refused to respond, then she felt her father give her a hard kick in the stomach.

"I swear...I just lost track of time," she cried through the pain.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME JEANNIE! OR SO HELP ME...I'LL MAKE YOU REGREAT IT!"

Suddenly, Jean felt a sharp pain in her head. It came out of nowhere and it started to grow in intensity. She felt herself loose control of her thoughts and she clutched her head in agony.

Meanwhile, her father had stumbled off to the side, hinting at how drunk he really was. Over the last few years this sight had become far too common for the 12-year-old. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew her father had a temper. However, he didn't show it nearly as much as he did now. That all changed, however, three years ago.

"You're worthless Jean...You were a mistake," said her father in a scrambled slur that reeked of alcohol. "It's because of you, your mother went insane. It's because of you, your mother killed herself."

As he said those words, it bought back the painful memories of that fateful night.

FLASHBACK

"She's doing it again! The evil has overcome her!" yelled an erratic middle-aged woman.

"No...Mommy," said an 8 year-old Jean, but she couldn't think straight.

Something had happened to her, something that had been happening more often. The furniture in the room began to rattle, small objects began to fling themselves across the room, and Jean could somehow feel it. She tried to make it stop, but it wouldn't. Jean's mother had painted red streaks around the room to ward off what she thought was a demon.

"GET OUT OF MY DAUGHTER!" yelled her mother as she picked up a big wooden crucifix. "EVIL...BE GONE!"

Jean then felt the sharp pain of the wood against her frail, young body. She yelled out in agony, but that just made the commotion in the room grow worse. Jean opened her eyes as she saw her mother raise the crucifix again for another blow. Suddenly, she sensed footsteps. She didn't hear them, but somehow she sensed them. Then, everything in the room stopped moving, but her mother still readied herself for one last blow. Jean, braced herself, but then, the door was kicked in and three men dressed in white hospital uniforms stepped in...

"NO! THE EVIL MUST BE DESTROYED! THE EVIL MUST BE KILLED! EVIL! THE CHILD IS POSESSED BY EVIL!" yelled her mother as the men tackled her to the floor and slapped restraining gear on her. Jean cowered at the sight.

Later, Jean stood by the doorway with her father next to her. He had a big bottle of hard liquor in the other hand and was taking large gulps of it. Young Jean watched as they carried her mother off in the van. She could still hear voices within her head, voices that melded in to a jumbled mess. But she still couldn't fight back the tears as she watched them hall away her mother, who's insane screaming could still be heard as the van drove away.

END FLASHBACK

A year later, they found her mother dead in her cell. She had hung herself. She had said she was evil, but Jean refused to accept that. She didn't care what her parents said. She knew she wasn't evil, but she still didn't know what was going on with her. Jean had learned to ignore her parents' words, but the memories still stung. However, this didn't dissuade her father from making Jean suffer more from this belief. He had stuck her in mental hospitals on several occasions. There she was often treated like an animal; drugged, bound, almost sub-human. These hospitals weren't much better than her father. There, being a pretty young girl, she was the victim of numerous rapes from orderlies there. She could do nothing about it because they drugged her half of the time. However, she never stayed long in these asylums, for her father would run out of money to keep her there or the hospital would be too afraid to keep her. None of this helped the young girl as she struggled to keep her head straight, but to no avail. Once again, she felt the pain in her head increasing again as the room around her began to rattle once more.

"Your doing it again aren't you?" yelled her father as stumbled over towards her. "STOP IT!" She tried, but to no avail. "I SAID STOP IT! STOP IT NOW JEAN!" But this was no good. Jean couldn't make the force in her mind go away. Soon, objects began to fly around the house. She felt as if she was controlling them, but it was all such a mess in her mind. "THAT'S IT!" bellowed her father as he raised he hand. "YOU'RE MOTHER WAS RIGHT! YOU ARE EVIL!"

"NO!" yelled Jean.

Suddenly, an unseen force had knocked her father back against the wall and knocked him out cold. Then, the flying objects around the house settled and the pain in her head lessened. Slowly, Jean stood up and looked at what had just happened. Had she really done all this? She tried to explain it, but deep down she knew this was her doing. Quickly, she ran up to her room, slammed the door shut, and moved her dresser in front of it. She then collapsed on her bed and started to cry.

'What have I become? What am I?'

Her thoughts kept repeating that and she kept telling herself she was not evil. Jean desperately wished this was all a dream, but it wasn't. She knew that when her father woke up he would show no mercy. Neither of her parents had ever shown her real love. Her father was once a respected professor, but his temper had turned him in to a monster. Her mother was no better; she was a loveless woman of apathy and had never given Jean or her father any real love. Severe psychological problems only made them both worse and it showed in their terrible treatment of the young girl and the abusive relationship that came with it. Their marriage was a train wreck and they never took the time to make it work even for the sake of their only daughter.

Jean's sobs began to subside as she stared at the ceiling above her. Suddenly, she realized something. She couldn't stay here any longer. She couldn't live with this man who she was ashamed to call her father. If she did, there would only be more pain, more suffering, and more savage beatings. She couldn't bear the thought of it. Quickly, she got up and grabbed a bag from her closet. She then went on to pack as many clothes as she could. The young girl rushed on to pack what little money she had and what little food she could find. Jean felt as if she was in a race against time before her father woke up. She did this through a worsening headache that was leading to an all too familiar feeling. When she couldn't find anything else to pack, she rushed out the front door.

As she was about to leave she looked back at her unconscious father. This man...Had beaten, abused, and used her for too long. She knew she could no longer stay. If she did, it would only get worse. Running away may not be the answer, but it's the only option she had. It was the only way out. As Jean Grey closed the door behind her, she said goodbye...And vowed then and there never to call that man 'father' again.

* * *

Clouds riddled the night sky and cold winds blew across the streets of downtown Buffalo. Jean Grey walked the streets with a mixture of fear and despair. She had no real destination in mind; she just wanted to stay away from where she had come from. She wanted to forget, but that was all too impossible. The young girl's mind was a jumble of painful memories and unexplained phenomena. She could hear the voices of people she passed even though they weren't speaking, she could make objects fly through the air, and she didn't know how or why she could do it in the first place. As she aimlessly walked through the streets she tried to fight the growing pain in her head, but she was quickly loosing that battle. Then, she felt two ominous figures approach her.

"Aw what do we have here? Ain't it past your bedtime girly?"

Jean turned to see two large, dangerous looking men in dirty biker's clothes and red bandanas. She started to walk away, but these two men had no intention of letting her get away that easily.

"Hey where you goin?" said the other man as he firmly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

"Please...Leave me alone," pleaded Jean, who was beginning to get scared.

"I don't think so..." said the first man as he took out a pocket knife.

Upon seeing this, Jean gasped and then a mysterious force knocked the guy who had grabbed her back. Jean felt she caused this force, but she didn't know how. She didn't have time to ponder this as she immediately ran as fast as she could down the streets.

"Get back here you little bitch!" yelled one of the guys as they pursued her.

Jean's headache got worse and she felt herself slow down while the two guys gained on her. She stumbled in to an alley as she began to feel more dizzy, however this alley lead to a dead end and before Jean could stumble back out, the two men had blocked her. Now she was trapped. She felt her head about to explode as small objects began to shake around her. She also heard some the echoing voices of the men as they approached her. They were sick, perverted thoughts of what they were going to do to her. Feeling helpless, she started to cry.

"Aw, what's the matter kid. Want your mommy?" mocked one of the men.

"What...What do you want from me?" cried Jean through the pain.

"Why...We just wanna have a little fun!" laughed the other man as they began to get closer.

The first man then grabbed her by the throat and lift her up off of the ground. Jean tried to fight it, but her head was in too much pain and her body was too weak. The man then began to roughly fondle her chest. Jean closed her eyes and begged that this was all a dream. She wanted to scream, but she knew nobody would hear her. She was alone...Helpless.

Suddenly, a door to the side flung open.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" screamed a voice.

Before the two men could react, two beams of bright red light blasted the two men and they were sent flying out of the alley as if they had just been rammed by a bull. Jean saw this spectacle through her mental fog and located the blast source. It was a boy...

The boy then ran over to the cowering young girl as she continued to clench her head. She looked at him as she kneeled down by her side. Then...All went black.

* * *

Scott Summers looked at the girl before him. He had found her in an alley being harassed by two street thugs. They surely would have assaulted her had he not shown up when he did. But after the attack, the girl fell unconscious for unknown reasons. Scott had taken the young girl to an abandoned apartment building that he had been staying in for the last few months. For nearly two years now he had been drifting from place to place via buses and hitch hiking. Although he was blind, he had learned to use his other senses to see. His sense of hearing, smell, and overall sense of feeling about his environment had been enhanced to the point where he could see to a livable extent. It was those senses that led him to the fight that yielded a scared young girl that looked to be his age. He had made a makeshift bed out of old newspapers and had rested her body on it while putting moist cloth on her forehead. He didn't know how or why, but Scott could feel a strange connection with this mysterious girl.

He carefully ran his hands along the outline of her face and ran his fingers through her hair. He created a vivid mental picture of her in his mind and the only way to describe it was...Beautiful, almost...Angelic. But who was this girl?

Suddenly, her eyes began to flutter and he heard a soft groan. Jean Grey's blurry vision began to focus as she saw a figure appear over her. As the boy before her came in to focus, she took in his appearance. She felt herself freeze upon his sight, but it wasn't because of fear...It was because of comfort. This stranger was the one who had saved her.

"Are you okay?" asked the boy in a soft tone. Slowly, Jean sat up. "Take it easy. Here, have some water."

Scott handed her a small plastic cup that was halfway filled with water. Although she hesitated, she still drank it. Something was telling her that she could trust this boy. She took note of his appearance. He was taller then her by at least 3 inches, he had brown hair, and the most distinguishing feature of all was the tight piece of cloth wrapped around his eyes. It was so tight she doubted he could see. Jean also noticed that this boy looked fairly messy, for he wore dirty clothing that had definitely seen better days and was very thin. It was as if he was a war-refugee.

"Where am I?" asked Jean as she looked around at her new surroundings.

"Well, you're in my makeshift home. I bought you here after you passed out back in the alley," responded the boy who sounded very non-threatening.

"You did? But...Why?" asked Jean. She never encountered anybody who would ever do something like that for her. This boy didn't even know her and he had saved her life...Why?

Scott hesitated briefly before answering, "Because I had to. You were in trouble and I wasn't about to let those guys hurt you."

Jean was at a total loss for words as she looked back at the young boy before her. Even though he was blindfolded, he could sense her gaze.

"Well...Thank you."

The boy just smiled warmly at her and said, "You're welcome."

Jean managed to smile as well as something about this young boy's presence made her feel safe for the first time in quite a while.

"I'm Jean...Jean Grey," said Jean after a brief moment of silence.

"I'm Scott Summers...It's very nice to meet you, Jean," replied Scott.

They then shook hands. Both of them were immediately taken by the warmth of each other's hands and didn't let go for a good minute for fear of loosing that sense of comfort. Neither Scott nor Jean could put their hands on it, but there was something about each other that made them feel a small sense of peace in their otherwise tumultuous lives.

"So...Is this where you live?" asked Jean as she finally broke the silence.

Scott's expression immediately sunk to a more depressed look.

"Well...Not really," said Scott. Jean just looked at him quizzically. Sensing this Scott began to explain. "I really don't live anywhere. I'm...A runaway."

Jean heard the sadness in Scott's voice and immediately empathized with it.

"Yeah...Me too. I ran away from my dad," admitted Jean. It was odd sharing this with a total stranger, but for some reason Jean felt comfortable in telling this particular boy.

"You ran away from your father? Why?" asked Scott in a shocked manner. He could understand running from a foster parent. But a real father?

Jean cringed as the memories came flooding back to her. She really didn't want to talk about it. However, the more she suppressed it, the worse she felt. Suddenly, she found herself blurt it out.

"He was so mean to me...He hit me...He beat me...He..." Jean couldn't go on. She soon felt the pain in her head returning.

"Jean wait...You don't have to say anymore," said Scott as he stopped her from going any further. "I know...Believe me I know. My foster dad used to beat the crap out of me...He beat me so bad...I..."

Now he was choked up as well. Neither of them liked talking about this...But for some reason they were willing to talk to each other...Even thought they had just met. However, they had just found out they were similar in that respect. They both knew how it felt to be beaten by the ones who are supposed to care for you.

"He...He called me a freak...Because I made things move," said Jean through the sobs as her head began to hurt more.

"What do you mean?" asked Scott.

"I...I don't know how but...Sometimes...I feel this...force within me. I have this strange feeling...This strange sense inside me that makes things move without me touching them. I...I don't know what it is but..."

Scott gently put his hands on her shoulders and attempted to calm her down.

"It's okay...I understand," said Scott. Jean then looked back at him quizzically.

"Huh?"

"Remember those blasts back there with those to guys?" said Scott.

Jean nodded. Then she saw Scott look to the other side of the room and remove his blindfold. Suddenly, Jean saw two red laser-like beams blast a small hole in the wall. From what she could see, Scott was desperately trying to keep the blast weaker than it could be.

"That...That was you?" said Jean amazed at what she just saw.

"Yeah...You see, I'm different too. We're both different. I don't know how, but we are. We can do things nobody else can," said Scott as he put his blindfold back on.

"So then...What are we?" asked Jean.

Scott just shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Jean suddenly felt the familiar pain in her head return again. She didn't want it to, but it did. This time it was stronger then ever. She grew short of breath and she began to tense up.

"Jean? Jean! What's wrong!" said Scott as he watched her start to keel over in pain.

"Scott...Get out of here! I...Can't...Control it!" said Jean as started to feel her mind explode.

Scott was flung back along with other objects in the room. The windows began to shake and objects mysteriously floated off the ground. However, Scott didn't leave.

"I won't leave you Jean...I can help you," said Scott as he tried to calm her down.

"NO! I CAN'T..."

She was getting hysterical as the movement of the objects in the room began to get more intense.

"Look Jean," said Scott in a soft, clam voice, "I know what it's like...To loose control. I know how bad it feels...But you don't have to feel it. I had nobody to help me...But you do now. I can help you."

Then, the furious movement of the objects started to gradually slow.

"That's it Jean...Calm down...Fight it...Control it..."

Scott carefully made his way towards the scared young girl and put his hands on her head.

"You can do it Jean...YOU CAN DO IT!" said Scott.

Suddenly, the strange force that was causing all of the commotion in the room disappeared...And something else happened. It was something totally different. Suddenly, both youths felt a strong surge through their heads. Then, Scott felt something strange. He felt an intense flash appear before his closed eyes and he saw an image before him. He could see pictures of a scared redheaded girl in front of him...Going through countless beatings and abuses. It was all in full color. These pictures zoomed through his mind, then something unexpected happened. He could see...In full color he could see. He took in the full view of the girl right in front of him and was taken aback. She was even more beautiful than he had pictured. She was like the angel he saw in his dreams...She WAS the angel he saw in his dreams.

Jean saw images zoom through her mind as well. She saw images of a happy family living in Alaska. She then saw a terrible fire. She saw a plane with the family on it. She saw two young boys jump from the plain and look back as their parents are engulfed in flames. Then, she saw one of the other boys overtaken by debris and fall to the ground. She then saw images of the boy who survived. She saw countless beating and assaults on him by a terrible man. She saw the boy keel over in pain as his eyes were engulfed in a red haze of light. Finally, she saw the boy cry out in pain.

Then...It was over.

The dazed young Scott was taken aback by what he just saw. He then felt Jean collapse in to his arms and cry her heart out. He softly put his arms around her, trying to give her comfort.

"Jean...What's wrong?" asked Scott as she began to stroke her hair in an attempt to soothe her sobs.

"I...I saw a plane...And a boy...And he...They...The boy." Jean couldn't finish however, she just kept crying.

"Boy...Plane...Jean, that boy is me," said a surprised Scott.

Jean looked up him with tears still in her eyes.

"That...That was you? That was..."

"That was my family...They...They died in a plane crash several years ago. I jumped from the plane...And watched them die right before my eyes," said Scott as she tried not to sob as well. "I survived, but they all died. They...Died."

That only caused Jean to cry more. The sadness within was just too much.

"I'm sorry...I," began Jean, but she was unable to go any further.

"No...I'm sorry you had to see that. I dream about it every night...It haunts me, but..." Scott couldn't find the words to finish. He was too choked up to go on.

Jean continued to sob incessantly. Scott could only wrap his arms around her tighter to comfort her. However, he soon found himself being comforted by her as well.

"Don't cry," said Scott softly as he held her close. "Don't cry,"

As the sobs began to subside Jean felt herself give in to physical and emotional fatigue. It was very late in to the night and she felt her body finally start drift off towards sleep.

"What kind of life is this?" she mused softly. "No home...No food...No family. I have nothing...You have nothing...We have nothing."

Scott felt the despair of her words. He couldn't help but feel it too, however he knew that there was some hope.

"That's not true Jean...Not entirely," replied Scott.

Jean just looked up at him with her sad eyes. Even though he could not see, she knew he could feel it.

"What do you mean?"

Scott turned his face towards hers and said, "I can be your family...If you can be mine. We're both orphaned, homeless, and broke...But that doesn't mean we have to be alone. I can be there for you...And you can be there for me."

Jean was at a loss upon hearing Scott's words. They only caused her to tear up again, but this time they were tears of happiness.

"Thank you Scott...Thank you," she said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

As he took in her warmth he could still feel her inner stress. He wanted to help her...So he did the only thing he could...He grabbed his guitar and started to play. Jean soon began to hear a soft, soothing tune accompanied with beautiful lyrics and finally, she felt at peace...Even if it was only briefly.

As Scott continued to play his guitar he couldn't help but look over at the sleeping redhead next to him. For the first time in years...He had found somebody who truly understood him. He had found somebody who he felt at peace with. He didn't know what it was...But it made him feel better about all the pain he had gone through. The days to come would bring many new challenges for the both of them. They would have to eat, sleep, and survive day to day. However, for now neither of them worried about that. Scott helped Jean and Jean helped Scott. It was a beautiful thing that couldn't be described with words. It could only be felt. Life was harsh, but at least for these two kindred souls...They weren't alone.

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AN: Well, that's it for now! I hope all you Scott/Jean fans liked this part, but I will tell you it won't be the last. The next chapter introduces Kitty Pryde, so stay tuned for that and my first attempts at Kurt/Kitty. Also, please REVIEW! Post them on or send them to me at I'd love to hear what you all think, so please let me know! Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all.

REVEIWS...NEED...REVIEWS!


	4. Kitty Pryde

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Chapter 3: Kitty Pryde  
  
AN: This takes place 4 years after the last chapter. So Scott and Jean are both 16 years old in this part and Kitty is 13 and Kurt is 14.  
  
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She knew she was different. She knew she was unique...But why did it scare her so much? Why?  
  
Her name is Kitty Pryde. She lived in a small house outside of Albany, New York. On the outside she looks like a normal young teenage girl, but nothing could be further from the truth. She has many dark secrets...Secrets that she has kept locked up inside for the majority of her life. She was isolated, for she only had one real friend. She was smart, but it gave her no joy whatsoever. There was no simple source to all this unhappiness. Over the years it had just grown too complex to even think about. However, if there had to be one major cause...It would have to be the man she lived with...Her father.  
  
He was a cruel man. He had grown crueler over time with each passing day. He would say things to his daughter that tore her up inside. He would do things to her that made her cry. He would hit, abuse, and sometimes rape her. Yes, her own father would actually rape her. He threatened to kill her if she ever told anybody. But why was he this way? It was simple...He never wanted a daughter in the first place.  
  
Kitty never knew her mother...She died not long after she was born in a car crash. Kitty was forced to live with her father afterwards. From day one he had made it clear that he didn't want her there. As a little girl he neglected her, but as time wore on he grew increasingly violent. Her father had worked many dead end jobs that yielded little money after he was fired from his normal corporate job. His temper was always seen as a risk to others and many weren't willing to keep him employed for too long. However, this only made things worse.  
  
Young Kitty Pryde wearily slipped in to the back door of her house. The clock read 10:00 PM as she made her way up to her room. She tried to stay as quiet as possible so as not to awaken her father, who was probably asleep by now. The floors of the house were dingy and dirty. There was a faint smell of rotting food coming from the refrigerator. As she made her way up the stairs she kept trying to stay as quiet as possible. Her room was now in sight. Suddenly, she heard a voice.  
  
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" said an angry voice from the other end of the hall.  
  
"Daddy...I swear I was..."  
  
"SHUT UP!" bellowed her father. Immediately, Kitty became silent. She dared not defy him for fear that he might hit her again. "Where were you...TELL ME THE TRUTH!"  
  
Young Kitty Pryde hesitated, for she knew he wouldn't believe her. He never did. However, she found herself blurt it out.  
  
"I was at Kurt's house...That's it I..."  
  
"LIES!" replied her father as he came up to her and firmly grabbed her arm. "You were out with the boys again weren't you?! You little slut tell the truth!"  
  
"It is the truth daddy I swear...Why would I lie?" said Kitty who was practically begging for all this to go away.  
  
"Because that's what little sluts like you do...You lie. NOW TELL ME THE TRUTH!"  
  
His voice was harsh and full of anger. He refused to believe anything she told him. It was as if he was delusional. Nothing ever seemed real for this man. Kitty didn't know if it was because he was sick or if it was because he drank. But this man never saw anything but what he wanted to see.  
  
"Daddy Please...No," cried Kitty as tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
If she told him the truth he would hurt her, and if she told him what he wanted to hear he would still hurt her. There was no way out.  
  
"You deserve it you little bitch..."  
  
He began to draw his hand back. Kitty braced herself for what she knew was to come. She squeezed her eyes shut as he was about to hit her with all his might. Then, as soon as he was about to make contact, something happened...It went straight through her. His fist slammed in to the hard wall and he yelled out in pain. Kitty's arm then went straight through his other hand that had been holding on to her. Then, she ran through her closed bedroom door like a ghost.  
  
"YOU LITTLE BITCH!!! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!!"  
  
Kitty curled up in a ball on her bed as she heard her father begin to bang against her door. Luckily, her father wasn't a very strong man in a physical sense so the door held up. However, that didn't mean it would stay that way. The loud pounding on the door barely registered in young Kitty's brain as she just tried to make sense of what just happened. Had she just walked through the wall? Had she just passed through her father like he was just a cloud of air?  
  
This wasn't new for her. Many times Kitty would be asleep and for some reason she would fall through her bed and land in the basement. This often resulted in her father beating the shit out of her because he thought she had sneaked out. It had scared her because she didn't know how it happened. Lately she was beginning to understand this occurrence and could control it to some extent. However, this strange ability scared her beyond words. Was she an alien? Was she a monster? Was she a ghost? She didn't know.   
  
Her father's yelling from the other side of the door began to die down. Maybe he was getting tired, but he still didn't stop. Living with her father was a living hell and she didn't know how much more of it she could take. So many nights she lay on her bed like this...Hoping for all this pain to go away. But it never did...It only got worse. She wanted to run so badly, but she just couldn't find the strength. Instead, she just cried. She cried and she cried.  
  
Suddenly, the banging on the door got louder and more violent. Her father must have found something to help him knock the door in. It sounded like a metal baseball bat.  
  
"YOU LITTLE SLUT I'M COMING FOR YOU! YOU HEAR ME!? I'M COMING!!!" yelled her father.  
  
Immediately, Kitty sprung up off her bed and ran to the closet. She couldn't stay any longer. If he got in he would only hurt her more. He would beat her or rape her like he always did. The thoughts of him doing it again were too difficult to bear. The memories of previous assaults lingered. Every time he touched or hit her, it was engraved in to her brain like a red-hot scar that wouldn't heal. She lost count of how many times it happened...But it was already too much.  
  
She grabbed what she could and threw it in to a small backpack she had in her closet. All she could find were a few changes of clothes and that was about it. She also grabbed from her dresser her dearest possession...A small pocket-sized picture. Then...She heard the door start to give way.  
  
Closing her eyes and hoping for the best, she ran through the wall and jumped out in to the cold night. She landed with a thud on the bushes below. Quickly, she rolled off of them and sprinted away from her house. As she ran, she heard a voice screaming in the distance.  
  
"GET BACK HER KITTY! YOU HEAR ME?! GET BACK HERE AND GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU!!!"  
  
It was the voice of her father...But she didn't go back. She couldn't...And she wouldn't. She walked along the sidewalk around her neighborhood trying to get as far away from her house as possible. Even though she lived there all her life...She never wanted to call it 'home.' It was a nightmare. Aimlessly, she kept on walking underneath the clear skies above. She walked and she walked...Never once going back in the direction where her house was. Soon, her legs began to tire and she soon found a bench to rest.  
  
As she lay back and stared at the beautiful stars above her mind began to wander. What was she? What was happening to her? What she did back there was impossible...Wasn't it? She did it none-the-less. As she watched the stars she felt tears form in her eyes.  
  
"Now what happens?" she asked herself aloud. "Where do I go...What do I do?"  
  
Who would take care of somebody who could easily be considered a freak? Now all that was left was to survive. As she contemplated the future, she remembered the picture she grabbed off her dresser just before she ran out of her house. It was her most prized possession. It was a picture of her and her only friend in the whole world...Kurt Wagner. Like herself, Kurt was very different...In some ways more than she was. He had been cursed with a very different appearance from birth. The only way he could walk around the public was through the use of an image inducer.  
  
Kurt was the only good thing in Kitty Pryde's life. She had known him since she was six and he had been the only one that was there for her when she needed it. Despite his appearance, Kitty often thought of Kurt as an angel sent to help her. For years she sought comfort in him when things with her father became unbearable. At school, they always stuck together no matter what. Even when people teased them they still stuck together. So many times he had helped Kitty, and so many times she had helped him as well. One of the reasons Kurt understood her so well was because he too had a traumatic home-life. Although he didn't like to talk about it at all, he still confided in her more than anybody else. They knew each other's secrets, fears, and everything else in between. As thoughts of Kurt passed through her mind she suddenly realized what she must do...And where she must go.  
  
"Kurt," she said aloud. "That's it. If anyone can help me...He can."  
  
The young girl let out a sigh as she got up. The moon shone brightly above her as she began to make her way down the street. She knew where she was going and she knew where she could find solstice. It wasn't a place or a thing...It was a person. Kurt would understand...If he didn't, then nobody would. Either way she had to do something to fight this emptiness welling up inside of her. She had nothing in her life anymore except Kurt. Even if Kurt couldn't help her find peace...It was better than being so alone.  
  
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AN: Well, that's it for now. I know it's shorter than my last two chapters, but don't worry, there is a reason for it. The next chapter, of coarse, will be Kurt Wagner. It will coincide with this chapter. Remember to REVIEW! Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. I'll try to update soon, so until then best wishes to you all.  
  
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE! 


	5. Kurt Wagner

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 4: Kurt Wagner**

* * *

AN: This takes coincides directly with the last chapter. So the ages are the same as explained in the last chapter. Scott and Jean are both 16 years old in this part and Kitty is 13 and Kurt is 14.

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER DOES HAVE REFERENCES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD MOLESTATION SO READ WITH CAUTION IF YOU ARE SENSATIVE TO SUCH THINGS!

Also...Please don't hurt me! I adore the fuzzy dude, but this chapter isn't very good to him. Sorry, but it just kinda works in to the story I guess.

* * *

In the dead of night...A young teenage boy sat in his bedroom and looked in to the mirror. His name was Kurt Wagner and he was different...Very different than other people. They called him a demon. However, he couldn't blame them. In all honesty he did look like one. He had a tail, pointed teeth, and a strange physical disposition. In addition to all that his body was completely covered with blue fur.

"No Vunder people think I'm a demon," he said to himself as he looked away from the mirror.

His appearance wasn't the only thing different about him. He had another special ability...One just as strange as his appearance. Kurt had the unnatural ability to disappear from one place and end up in the other, teleportation in other words. Since he was 8 he had struggled to understand this ability and he also tried to control it. However, his lack of knowledge on how gave him limited success. This was because he didn't know what he was...He didn't know why...He didn't know how.

Even though he was only 14 years old, Kurt had already had a very difficult life. He never knew who his real parents were. He did know, however, that a kind family in the heart of rural Germany adopted and raised him. He lived on a small farm for the early years of his life and for the most part his adopted family accepted him. However, others in the area were not so understanding. Some of his earliest memories were of angry mobs coming up to his house and chanting things like "KILL THE DEMON! KILL THE DEMON!" However, he tried not to let that get to him. The only way he could ever go out in public was through the use of a holographic image inducer that was given to him by his adopted grandfather just before he died. While it did allow him to function in public, young Kurt still felt very isolated.

When Kurt was 6, tragedy struck. His foster dad suffered a lethal stroke and died. The small farm that he lived on then went under as debts ultimately cost them everything. Kurt's foster mother died soon afterwards of a heart attack, leaving Kurt orphaned once again. However, it wasn't long before he was taken in by one of the Wagners' family friends. This was an act that Kurt soon came to loath.

"KURT! Kurt I'm home! Where the hell are you, ya little bastard!" came a voice.

Kurt shuddered upon hearing the voice, for he knew who it was. It was her...His foster Aunt Grendel. She was a big, strong German woman with a short temper who grew big from working on farms half her life. She immigrated with Kurt to the United States when he was 7 and they had been living in a small, rickety house outside of Albany, New York. It grew to become a truly miserable existence. Grendel never had much money and for good reason at that. She was a delusional schizophrenic and she hadn't really taken anything in the form of medicine. Kurt knew this because of the way she acted. She was often irrational, paranoid, and violent. And unfortunately, Kurt suffered a great deal because of this.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps near his door.

"Kurt! I know you're in there...Open up!" yelled his Aunt as she started to bang on the door.

He didn't want to let her in. He was afraid of what she would do to him. Over the years her irrational behavior made Kurt the victim of a lot of abuse. She would hit him, insult him for hours, and force him to perform sexual acts that humiliated and hurt him deeply. Day by day it only got worse; it never got better. Grendel wouldn't see a doctor or listen to reason. Kurt tried so many times and failed, now it looked like it was going to happen again.

The knob on the door began to shake...Grendel was picking the lock. Before Kurt could react he heard a sound...The door had been unlocked. Kurt's anxiety grew as he watched the door swing open.

"You know better than to lock me out!" said Grendel in a slurred voice.

"Aunt Grendel...You've been drinking again haven't you?" said Kurt as he smelled the alcohol on her breath.

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do!" she said in a drunken tone.

Kurt tried to hide his fear as the oversized German lady, whose strength greatly outmatched his, approached.

"Come here!" she bellowed as she grabbed his tail and dragged him out in to the hall.

"No Grendel! Don't..." said Kurt as he struggled to overcome her brute strength, but to no avail.

"SHUT UP!" yelled Grendel in return as she gave Kurt a hard punch in the face.

Kurt's head wouldn't stop spinning after that blow. He became dizzy as Grendel dragged him to her bedroom. There was no reasoning with her anymore. Her sanity had been gone for years since she never sought treatment for her condition. Alcohol made things much worse as it caused her to do violent acts that made Kurt the victim. Kurt had grown weak from constant beatings, neglect, and deprivation so he didn't have a chance against the strong German woman. He briefly considered teleporting, but he couldn't concentrate and since she was holding on to him he would just bring her with him.

Kurt tried to break free from her grasp, but was hit over the head with an empty beer bottle. He stayed conscious, but he wished he hadn't.

"You know the drill Kurt...You know the punishment for locking me out!" said Grendel in her slurred voice.

"Please..." managed Kurt who couldn't fight the throbbing pain in his head from the blow by the bottle. He felt blood trickle down his forehead and soak in to his fur.

"SHUT UP!" said Grendel as she slammed him on the head again with another bottle.

That last blow finally immobilized Kurt and he felt he was no longer able to fight back at the incoherent woman. However, Kurt was still able to make out the blurry images before him. He immediately wished he hadn't as he saw what was happening. Grendel aggressively began to rip Kurt's clothes off in a drunken fit. She then began to touch and prod his private parts. She took a sick pleasure in it and began to run her nails through the young boy's fur. This caused numerous scratches and caused Kurt to bleed. Grendel went on to lick his blood up with her tongue in a sick masochistic manner. The taste of his blood only made her scratch at Kurt more. As more wounds formed, she kept on drinking the blood like a vampire. On and on she went, using the helpless young boy in any perverted way she chose. In Grendel's mind, she was too incoherent and delusional to know what was happening. Part of this only fueled her anger as she continued to take it out on Kurt.

* * *

Groggily, Kurt came to after what seemed like an hour. His head still throbbed, his wounds still hurt, and much of his fur was stained with blood. He still lay on the floor naked, which confirmed his fear about what happened. It wasn't a nightmare like he had hoped; it was real. Tears formed in the young boy's eyes as the events that had just unfolded played back in his head. It was only made worse when he considered that this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. In fact, Grendel had done far worse in the past. But this didn't help one bit.

Slowly, Kurt made his way back to his room. He found some new clothes, for Grendel had ripped the other ones. Kurt then looked in the mirror at the scars left behind. Even though his fur could cover them, he still knew they were there. Once again he couldn't fight back his tears. Soar and out of strength, Kurt Wagner collapsed on his bed...Crying.

"Vhat kind of life is this...Vhy must everything be so painful to deal vith? Vhy?" said Kurt to himself as he tried to shut everything out of his mind.

Suddenly, he heard a knock on his window.

"Kurt...Kurt I need your help. Please open up," said a voice.

Kurt's ears perked up as he instantly recognized it. It was the only thing that kept him alive. It was the only person who knew his darkest secrets. It was his best friend and only friend, Kitty Pryde.

"Kitty? Kitty vhat's wrong?" asked Kurt as he opened up his window, allowing her to crawl in. After she was in he immediately noticed a large black and blue mark on the side of her face. "Mien gott! Vhat happened to you?"

Kitty hesitated. She realized that the blow to the face her father had given her must have left a bruise. She cringed at the memory of it that was still fresh in her mind and soon embraced Kurt tightly for comfort.

"Kurt I...I ran away," said Kitty in a weak voice. "My father he..."

But Kurt didn't let her finish.

"Vait Kitty...I understand," said Kurt who had known all too well the cruelty of Kitty's father. He could only hold her close to him tightly, giving her as much solstice as he could.

More than once, Kitty had come to Kurt after savage beatings from her dad. And more than once, Kurt had come to Kitty after being attacked by Grendel. This occasion was no different, except this time Kitty had done something extreme. Both teens had contemplated running away many times before, but had always talked each other out of it. Now, however, they had both reached their breaking point in terms of abuse. Now, there seemed to be no other option.

"Kurt I...Oh my God your bleeding..." said Kitty after a prolonged silence. She had finally noticed the wounds along his torso. No doubt, this was Grendel's doing. Kitty had known about her treatment of him for years now, but she didn't tell anybody. This was because Kurt never told anybody about her father. It was an unspoken agreement between the two that they faithfully upheld despite the repeated abuse.

"I'll be okay," reassured Kurt.

Kitty softly ran her hand along Kurt's wounds to find that they weren't severe, but they did look painful. He grabbed a shirt as Kitty continued to express worry about his injuries. Suddenly, they heard a loud voice from across the hall.

"KUUURT!"

"Oh no...Grendel!" said Kurt in a worried voice. "Ve have to leave!"

Kurt ran to his closet and picked up an old travel bag and started throwing various clothing in it. Kitty soon helped, for she knew what would happen if Grendel found her. After packing what they could, Kurt grabbed his image inducer from his dresser and put it on. Then, a loud pounding on the door began to echo through the room. Both teens fell back in horror as they heard her picking the lock again.

"I'm coming Kurt! I'm not finished with you!" bellowed Grendel.

"NO!"

Then, Kurt gabbed on to Kitty and closed his eyes. As Grendel forced the door open, the only thing she found was a small cloud of smoke. Outside the house, the two teens appeared in a flash and they stood to catch their breath after the events that they had just witnessed. Kitty had known about Kurt's other 'ability,' but he had never used it with her. In a way, she was relieved. Now she was with somebody that mattered. Kurt felt the same relief as he heart rate finally slowed down. He looked over at Kitty, who had finally given him the strength to do what he should have done so long ago.

"Well, what happens now?" asked Kitty.

Kurt just sighed. "Ve get as far away from here as possible."

As midnight approached Kurt and Kitty had made their way in to downtown Albany. Neither of them spoke much, for they were both still trying to make sense of the events that had just unfolded. They had run away...They had left their homes. Going back wasn't an option; it would just lead to more suffering. They were both tired and hungry...But at least they were together. Kurt and Kitty stayed close to each other's side as they walked the streets of the city; neither one of them felt that they could go on without each other. It gave them a small sense of peace, knowing that they had each other in their darkest hour. Suddenly, they felt a presence following them.

"Well, well, well...What do we have here?" said a threatening voice.

Kurt and Kitty looked behind them to see an oversized street thug approaching them.

"Look...Ve don't vant any trouble," said Kurt.

"I don't think so kiddies. Isn't it a school night? Shouldn't you be at home?" mocked another voice.

Soon, they found out that more thugs surrounded them.

"I'm warning you!" said Kurt as he grew worried for Kitty's safety.

Kitty's concern grew as well. She didn't like where this situation was heading and she didn't want Kurt to hurt himself protecting her. He was all she had now...She couldn't loose him.

"Aww, look at the big wannabe hero! What's the matter? Afraid we'll break one of your girlfriends nails?" said one thug.

"Naw, she looks too dirty to be that fancy. She must be one of those cheap-ass hookers!"

As the rest of the thugs surrounding them laughed, Kurt's anger reached a boiling point.

"I warned you!" said Kurt as he touched the button on his inducer watch, "LEAVE US ALONE!"

Suddenly, Kurt's real image appeared before the bewildered thugs.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

"WHAT IS THAT?"

Most of them ran, but a few stayed behind. The two teens watched in horror as those that stayed drew guns and aimed it at them.

"RUN!" yelled Kitty as she grabbed Kurt's arm and fled in to a nearby alley. Shots rang out, but Kitty was able to use her abilities to make the bullets pass right through them. She didn't have time to figure out how, but she had to save Kurt.

"What the...I thought we hit em?" said one of the thugs.

"Guess not...AFTER THEM!" yelled another as they regained their composure and pursued the fleeing teens closely.

They ran and they ran through twisting, narrow alleys. Kurt was a little slow and Kitty could sense his ragged breathing from the pain of his wounds that he had suffered earlier.

"Come on Kurt...Come on we have to loose them!" urged Kitty as she tried to help Kurt regain his balance.

"Kitty..." he said through his exhausted voice, however he could get no more words out.

They could still hear the footsteps as they ran, but the two teens soon found themselves at a dead end.

"Oh no...Oh no," said Kitty through her ragged breath as she looked around at the dead end alley.

Kurt was leaning on her for support. She could tell he was dizzy from fatigue. She was too, but she didn't have to deal with bloody wounds like he did. They could hear the footsteps getting closer. They squeezed each other's hand as they awaited the approaching thugs. Suddenly, a door in front of them swung open.

"IN HERE! QUICK!" said an urgent male voice.

Not having any other options, Kurt and Kitty followed the voice and ran in to the door. As soon as they were in, the door was slammed shut. Inside, they were greeted with two unknown figures that signaled for them to be silent until the footsteps passed. For what seemed like an eternity, they waited for the thugs to leave. Finally, the sound of the footsteps faded and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your safe now," said a female voice.

Kurt and Kitty then got their first look at their mysterious saviors. They turned out to be a teenage boy and girl that looked a couple of years older than they were. One was a tall redheaded girl who was wearing raggedy clothing that had definitely seen better days. The other was a boy about the same age who was a bit taller than the girl and had a mysterious white cloth wrapped around his head that completely covered his eyes. From what Kurt and Kitty could tell, they didn't look very threatening at all. They looked dirty and famished. They didn't appear to be very hostile, so the fear of the two younger teens gradually abated.

"Are you two okay? I heard gunshots," said the older boy.

"Yeah...Ve're fine. Thank you," said Kurt as he caught his breath.

"Are you sure...I smell blood," replied the boy.

Kurt and Kitty stood mildly amazed at the boy's acute sense of smell. But they said nothing, for they were still unsure whether or not they could trust these strangers.

"Come on, we'll see if we can help you. Follow me," said the girl.

She grabbed the blind boy's arm and appeared to guide him through a hallway. She briefly looked back at the two teens they had just saved and noticed they hadn't moved.

"Don't worry...We mean no harm," reassured the girl.

After a brief pause, Kurt finally broke the silence, "Aren't you afraid of how I look?"

They both just looked back with no real reaction. The boy didn't seem to be too worried, for he couldn't even see Kurt's appearance. To some extent, this relieved the young teen when he thought about it. There was at least one person now that could get past his physical disposition. It was the girl he was worried about. But she just gave him a reassuring look.

"Don't worry. It doesn't bother me. I promise," replied the girl. "Now come on...It looks like you two need some help."

After those words, Kurt and Kitty followed them. They noticed the girl and the boy standing very close to one another. They too stayed close. Maybe they had found other people that weren't so different from them. This was rare...They had never even known other people like that even existed. It bewildered the young teens to finally see it.

After a brief trek down the stairs of a rickety old office building, they came upon what looked like a living area. There were numerous boxes that appeared to have books in them and there were piles of old newspapers that were made in to makeshift beds. The boy walked over to the side of the room and picked up some small white bed sheets from a box. He then made his way back over to Kurt. It was strange because even though he appeared to be blind, he acted as if he could see perfectly fine.

"Here...You can use these to wrap up your wounds. If they start to get infected, we have some iodine handy," said the older boy as he handed the sheets to Kurt.

The blue mutant reluctantly accepted the sheets and began to wrap them around his torso. "Thank you sir. Ve both owe you big time. I'm Kurt Wagner by the way. And the girl next to me is my best friend, Kitty Pryde."

"Nice to meet you," said Kitty as she and Kurt shook the boy's hand.

Kurt grew nervous when he shook his hand because he knew he would feel his fur, but nothing happened. It was as if the boy knew how he looked all along. He and the girl just smiled back at them.

"I'm Scott...Scott Summers," said the boy.

"And I'm Jean Grey," said the girl as she walked up and sat down near them.

"Well, thanks again for what you did back there. I'd hate to think of what those thugs would have done to us if you hadn't come along," said Kitty who gradually felt a bit more comfortable around the two strangers.

"You're very welcome. And don't worry, we've been in situations like that before," said Jean.

An awkward silence descended over the group. There were still many questions to be answered.

"So...Do you two like, live here or something?" Kitty finally asked.

The expressions on Scott and Jean's faces grew solemn.

"Well kinda," responded Scott. "We...Really don't live anywhere. You see, Jean and I are both...Runaways."

A hint of understanding came over Kurt and Kitty.

"Oh...We're runaways too," responded Kitty.

"Really? Why?" asked Scott.

Neither of them said anything. They didn't want to dwell on the pain of their memories from back home. Scott and Jean were quick to recognize those looks.

"Vell, let's just say...Home became to much for us and..." Kurt paused again trying not to get too upset, "I really don't vant to talk about it."

"That's okay...We understand. That's why we ran away," said Jean.

"Home became too bad for us as well. Let me guess...Too many beatings, too many abuses?" said Scott.

Kurt and Kitty shook their heads as the painful memories started to show themselves again.

"Well...Welcome to the club," said Scott.

A slow smile spread across the two younger teens' face. As they looked at Scott and Jean the felt a little better knowing that they weren't alone.

As the night wore on Kurt and Kitty grew more comfortable around their new friends. They were kind and gave them what little food they had to help stave off their growling stomachs. They even helped with some of the bruises that they had sustained earlier. Even though they didn't have much, their friendship and hospitality was enough for the moment. As they continued to talk, the subject of their 'abilities' came up as Jean questioned Kurt's appearance. Despite some hesitation, Kurt felt that his new friends deserved to know.

"So...What's the deal with your appearance if you don't me asking?" said Jean.

"Vell...I vas born this vay. I don't know vhy, but I vas. And my appearance isn't the only thing..."

"What do you mean?" replied Scott curiously.

Then, Kurt used his power to teleport to the other side of the room and back.

"Whoa..." said a bewildered Jean.

Scott too had sensed something happen, but he didn't have a clear idea what.

"Although I'm not sure how...I have found out in recent years that I can make myself disappear from one place and reappear in another," explained Kurt.

"You mean teleportation?" asked Scott.

"Ja, I think that's vhat it is called," said Kurt.

The two older teens were mildly amazed by their new friends so far, but it wasn't over.

"I have a strange ability too," said Kitty.

"Really? What can you do?" asked Jean.

"I can pass through solid objects."

Kitty then closed her eyes and stuck her hand in to the floor beneath her as if it wasn't even there. Despite Scott and Jean's surprise, they weren't very afraid of them much to Kurt and Kitty's amazement. They were the first to not be scared as far as they were concerned.

"That's pretty neat," commented Jean.

"You're...You're not afraid of us?" asked Kitty still in disbelief at their friendly views towards them.

"Well...You're not the only one with strange powers," said Scott.

He could then sense feelings of confusion overcome their new friends. In response Scott decided to demonstrate. He took an empty can that was lying on the floor, threw it up in to the air, and shot it with the beams from his eyes in to a twisted array of smoldering metal.

Before Kurt and Kitty could respond, Jean started to show them her powers. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Suddenly, a small wooden box off to the side began to shake violently by some unseen force. Then, they watched in amazement as it floated off the ground...And slammed in to the wall behind them, shattering on impact.

"Vow, so ve all have strange abilities," said Kurt.

"Yeah," said Scott in a low voice, "That's why we haven't been able to find a home. Nobody has been willing to take care of kids they consider freaks."

His words didn't raise Kurt and Kitty's hopes very much.

"So...How long have you been, like, on the streets if you don't mind me asking?" said Kitty wearily.

"Four years," replied Jean, "Well...Six for Scott."

"Really? That long?" said a befuddled Kurt.

"Yeah..." replied Scott. "It's hard. Hunger, poverty, and drifting have become a way of life for us. It's a miserable existence...But it's better than going back to a broken home."

A heavy silence came over the four teens. Scott's words may not have been pretty, but they were the cold hard truth. There was no turning back for them now. They could not...And would not go back.

"Will things get better?" asked Kitty who was growing increasingly tired from the traumatic day she had just had.

"We can only hope that it will," replied Jean.

"And that's why we have to stick together," added Scott. "We know you don't know us very well, but if you want...You can stay with us. We can help you...If you just help us."

"But vhat could ve possibly help you vith?" asked Kurt.

Scott and Jean just looked back at the two exhausted teens. In them, they could see themselves in a sense. They were scared, alone, and full of despair.

"You could just help us not feel so alone..." replied Scott in a sincere tone.

A faint smile came upon the group's face.

"Thank you..." said Kurt.

"Yeah...Thank you for helping us," added Kitty.

Scott and Jean just smiled back as they lay back against the pile of newspapers behind them. Kitty leaned against Kurt for support and soon they both started to nod off to sleep. Scott and Jean soon followed, for they too had grown tired from the day they had just had. Now, they had new friends in their fight for constant survival. Even though the times ahead would only grow more difficult, the four teens knew they would have to stick together if they were to make it.

As the young group stirred restlessly in the darkness of the abandon building, Scott grabbed his guitar and started to play. He hoped to calm his new friends down. As Jean still lay against Scott's side already asleep, Scott began to play a soft tune. Kurt held Kitty closer and she just held him back. They had a new life now. It wasn't going to be an easy one, but it was better than any alternative. As Kurt and Kitty heard the song and its lyrics...They finally felt at peace...For the moment.

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AN: Well, that's it for this part. Please don't forget to REVIEW! Post them on or send them to me at Stay tuned for the next chapter as I introduce Evan Daniels. Until next time, best wishes to you all.

WAIT, REIVEW! STOP...GO DOWN...AND SUBMIT YOUR REVIEW PLEASE!


	6. Evan Daniels

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 5: Evan Daniels**

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AN: This chapter takes place a year after the last one. The ages are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 17 years old in this part and Kitty is 14 and Kurt is 15 and Evan is 13.

Also, this chapter has major references to drug use so be warned. When some of you read this you may find the actions of certain people to be hard to believe, but keep in mind the kind of damage that drugs can do to somebody.

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Most people go through their early lives being told about the dangers of drugs. However, few can say they have seen their deadly effects on others. Evan Daniels, is one of those few who have seen these effects all too well. On the outside he is a normal looking 13-year-old African American boy living in New York City, but in reality his young eyes have seen things nobody should ever have to.

Evan Daniels lay back on his bed in his small cramped room, exhausted after another rough day in the ever going struggle that was his life. He stared out the window in a trance as wondered how things in his life could get so hard.

Evan's parents made their money through the New York City drug underworld. Both his mother and father were like a mom and pop petty crime duo because they weren't satisfied with the lack of money that came with regular day jobs. The lure of the drug world was just too good to pass up for them and neither of them considered the effects it would have on young Evan. They had never meant to have a son, so Evan was often looked upon as a mistake on their part and neglected him from the start. Most parents would see a child as a blessing, but to Evan's parents he was nothing but a financial burden. For years, his parents accumulated money through risky trades with illegal drug cartels and for a while it paid off. However, that ended up not lasting very long.

With so many drugs so readily available it became all too hard to resist getting addicted to them. Evan was forced to watch his parents snort and shoot their way in to becoming all out junkies. However, he was too young to help and in the end it would have dire consequences. Evan's father grew too violent and confrontational for his own good. And in the world of illegal drugs this was a dangerous mixture. His mother didn't fare any better, as she grew dependent on crack and heroin. She resorted to armed robbery and prostitution to support her habit. Drugs made Evan's parents angry, violent, and irrational to no end. Soon, every penny made from their drug dealings was squandered in to their addictions. They were forced to live a meager, frugal existence in the inner city after acquiring massive amounts of debt to drug lords. All this took a toll on young Evan. He became the victim of numerous assaults by both his mother and father, angry associates of his parents' drug dealings also attacked him many times, and he was subjected to similar violence at school because of the knowledge of his parents' drug affiliations. He was even once beaten so severely he was in a coma for nearly a week. Evan was forced to defend himself as he got older. Getting in to fights was a way of life that he couldn't avoid even though he never wanted to truly hurt anybody.

As these thoughts drifted through Evan's head his attention changed to a picture located on a small table to the side of his bed. It was a picture of a seven-year-old him and a tall, white haired woman with striking blue eyes. Slowly, he grabbed the small picture and looked at it with a sense of sorrow.

"I miss you Aunty O. I really do," he said aloud to the picture as if he was hoping for it to hear him.

There was one good thing in his life. While his parents incoherently descended in to drug addiction, Evan was kept clean because of his mother's sister from Africa, Ororo Munroe. In many ways, she was more of a parent than either his mom or dad put together. For as long as he could remember, Ororo would often spend time with Evan and teach him the values his parents wouldn't. For those reasons and more, Evan grew very fond of his Aunt and always looked forward to seeing her. However, those visits had become less and less frequent over the years. Ororo's constant attempts to help her sister and her husband with their drug problems led to violent conversations more often than not. That along with his father's drug driven advances towards her, made her less willing to talk. Even though she tried to help Evan as best she could, she soon found herself forbidden by her sister to ever come near him again.

In the end, drugs ultimately took their toll on Evan's father as he became too addicted to crack to function anymore. Despite Evan's attempts to help, he was too little too late...He died of an overdose when he was 11. Evan slightly cringed at the memory of walking in on his overdosing father. Whenever he closed his eyes he could see it...The blood on his face and the protruding red veins in his eyes.

As he lay in his bed, he tried to forget all these thoughts. Then he heard the front door to the apartment slam shut in a loud bang...His mother was home.

"EVAN! EVAN WHERE ARE YOU?" yelled his mother as she began to restlessly pace to and fro. She was also shivering severely and sweating profusely.

Evan didn't want to come out of his room, but he knew he had to. It was almost a common occurrence to have to deal with his mother when he was in one of her angry moods. The relationship between Evan and his parents had always been very harsh. They often treated him as if he was the cause of their drug problems. Evan knew that if he hid he would be beaten, if he confronted his mother he would be beaten. There was no way out of it...And he knew it.

"EVAN!" yelled his mother again.

Slowly, Evan made his way out of his room and towards his mother. When he confronted her he immediately knew she was high. There was even a small trail of white powder coming from her nose. She also looked like she may have had a little too much this time. His mother wouldn't stop pacing back and forth. She wouldn't stop shivering either.

"Where's the money...Where is...The money?" said his mother through a drug-induced incoherent tone.

"What money?" responded Evan truthfully hoping she was just being paranoid again.

Suddenly, his mother grabbed him by the shirt and forced him up against the wall. She stared angrily at her son with bloodshot eyes. She was still shaking and the foul scent of cocaine still clung to her body.

"YOU KNOW WHAT MONEY! NOW WHERE IS IT!" yelled his mother in a rushed, anxious tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about mom!" replied Evan sternly. "If it was money you probably already spent it on another fix!"

That did it...Evan felt a sharp pain as his mother punched him as hard as she could in the face. Immediately, Evan keeled over in pain. He tried not to show it, for any signs of weakness would ultimately lead to more pain in the end.

"Don't talk to me like that..." replied his mother in a dark tone. "You fight all the time...You come home with holes in your shirt...Face it Evan, you're NOTHING but a menace!"

Evan didn't talk back after that. He wanted to explain that he only fought when he had to and he would never hurt anybody. He also wanted to explain where those holes in his clothes came from...But that was a totally different story. He doubted that she would believe him if he tried to tell her.

As his mother paced even more, Evan started to head back to his room hoping she wouldn't follow him...When suddenly, the front door was smashed open. Startled, Evan hid in the hallway and watched the events before him unfold as four sinister-looking men entered the apartment and approached his drugged out mother. They were all in dark trench coats and wore black gloves. Evan watched as his mother cowered before them.

"Well, well, well...If it isn't our best customer," mocked the man with a devilish grin.

Then, three of the other men beside him rushed over and tackled Evan's mother to the floor. It didn't take long due to her drugged up state. As soon as she was subdued, the leading man causally walked up and kneeled down at the bound junkie before him.

"So...Where's our money?" asked the man sternly.

Evan watched as his mother started to falter.

"I...I'll get it to you I swear I..."

Before she could finish one of the men drew out a pistol and pounded it against her head with the butt of the gun.

"WRONG ANSWER BITCH!" said one of the men holding him down.

Evan listened to his mother moan in pain as bloody wounds began to form. Then, he saw the leading man reach in to his pocket and pull out a bag full of white powder.

"You see this...This shit doesn't come cheap you know. You want it don't you?" asked the man with a sly grin.

Evan watched as his mother only nodded in response.

"THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO LEARN TO PAY FOR IT!" bellowed the man, "The boss will want to have a word with you now that you owe him...And frankly, I would PRAY you get on his good side man!"

As the men got up to leave, one of them saw Evan through the corner of his eye.

"HEY YOU! We've got a witness!" yelled one of them.

"Take care of em!" yelled the leader.

Evan instantly ran as the men started to make their way towards him. He escaped to his room where he grabbed his skateboard and climbed out the window on to the fire escape. The men followed close behind as they tried to catch him. As the leader watched his men follow in hot pursuit he looked back at Evan's mother who was still lying on the ground.

"Daniels...You trying to use your son to incriminate us?" asked the dark man in a stern voice.

Evan's mother just looked up at the man with an emotionless expression.

"I have no son..."

After Evan hit the street, he jumped on his skateboard and tried to get as far away as possible. However, the three men were still following him. As he got out on to the main street they hopped in to a car that they had come in and started to drive after him. They quickly gained on the young boy and soon had him in their sights. As Evan looked back he saw them pull out guns. A sudden rush of fear came over the young boy. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation on his arms. It was as if something had just pierced them...From the inside. They were spikes...Large, sharp, bone-like extensions that grew out of nowhere. In the rush of the moment, Evan raised his arm and shot the spikes at the car behind them just as they started to take aim.

BANG!

A loud noise filled the air as both front tires of the car exploded from the impact of the razor-sharp spikes. The car swerved on to the sidewalk where it crashed in to a traffic light pole. There were few onlookers, but the ones that were there fled from the path of the car as the bewildered inhabitance fell out.

"Did you see what that kid just did!" exclaimed one of the men in disbelief.

"I saw it...But I don't believe it," said the other.

As the dazed men struggled to regain their composure, Evan took this time to make his escape. He wasn't sure what just happened, but it had happened before. Those strange spikes that appeared on his arm weren't new. For a few years now they had been a growing problem. It had been the reason why he always came home with holes in his cloths, but he never told his parents that. This was no time to ponder the phenomena; he had to get away. However, before he could get too far, the men noticed him.

"There he goes! Get him!" yelled one of the men as they started to chase him once again.

They were fast and it wasn't long before they were within firing range once again. With this in mind, Evan made a quick turn in to an alley to his right and began skating down the narrow path. However, this soon proved to be a mistake, for he had reached a dead end.

"Oh no...I'm dead," said Evan anxiously.

The footsteps of his pursuers could easily be heard...And they were getting closer. Evan felt his body tense up. Should he fight? Even if these guys had guns? He didn't know. But as his mind began to rush, something happened. He heard a strange noise to the side of him and suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere. It was a boy that looked his age, maybe a bit older. He was wearing ragged clothing and was very thin. Before Evan could respond, the boy grabbed his arm and suddenly, he vanished from the alley.

As the gunmen came to the dead end, they stood confused.

"Uh...What just happened?" said one of them.

"Beats me," said the other as he just shook his head "But what do we tell the boss?"

"We tell them...Exactly what they want to hear. We tell them the kid is rat food. Besides...You know what happens when you fail the boss," said the last man ominously.

And with that the three men left the alley and returned to the streets. However, Evan Daniels was not gone. The mysterious boy who transported him away from danger had appeared in an abandoned warehouse near the docks of the harbor. Evan took a step back in confusion upon appearing here. He didn't know how, but he had gotten there in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. He then looked over at the thin, raggedy boy who had saved him. Even though he didn't even know this boy, Evan didn't feel threatened by this boy that just saved his life.

"Who are you?" asked Evan finally as he took in his new surroundings.

"It's okay mien friend...I mean you no harm," said the boy.

"Well...What happened back there? How'd we get here?" asked Evan, full of questions.

"Vell, that's a little complicated to explain," responded the boy through a thick German accent.

Evan didn't say anything else after that. He knew that asking more questions would only confuse him further. Suddenly, he saw three more people approach from the shadows off to the side.

"Hey, relax man. We mean you no harm either," said one of the figures in a male voice.

Evan was startled, but as he looked closer he saw that these new strangers didn't look very hostile. They were all kids just like him. One of them was a redheaded girl that looked several years older than he was, another was a boy about the same age standing right next to the redhead with a strange blindfold over his eyes, and the last one was a girl that looked about his age. As they approached young Evan, he noticed something distinctive about all four of them. They all looked homeless; each one of them looked like they hadn't had a decent meal in ages and their cloths were all ragged and torn.

"Who are you guys?" asked Evan growing increasingly more curious.

"Well, I'm Scott," said the boy with the blindfold, "This is Jean, that's Kitty, and the guy who bought you here is Kurt."

Evan noticed an obvious tone of sincerity in his voice.

"I'm Evan Daniels," said Evan simply at a loss for better words.

"Vell, it's nice to meet you Evan," said Kurt with a smile.

"Likewise, but...Why'd you save me back there?" asked Evan.

"Well, why not?" said the older redheaded girl.

Evan didn't respond after that. He was still in a somewhat state of shock. These people...These kids who were just like him saved him and they didn't even know him. For too long Evan had only been exposed to the dark side of human nature. Whether it be at school or at home, Evan could honestly say he had never met anybody who would willing risk their lives for others whom they didn't even know.

"Look...You need a place to stay?" asked Scott.

Evan looked back at him with a confused, disbelieving look. He still seemed to have trouble processing the kindness of these strangers. However, he nodded in reply.

"Then come on...Maybe we can help," replied the blindfolded boy.

Evan was in shock...For these kids who barely knew him were willing to help. He followed them willingly as they led him to the main area of the warehouse where there were numerous makeshift beds. They were made out of old newspapers and large empty crates littered the floor. As the five teens got settled in, Evan was given some of their scarce food that consisted of a small side of cold fries. Although he was reluctant to take them from these people who seemed to need food more than he did at the moment, they wouldn't take no for an answer. The group made themselves comfortable as they sat down to let the recent events of the night sink in.

"So...What happened back there Evan? Why were those guys after you?" asked Kitty curiously.

Evan hesitated briefly before responding, "They weren't after me...They were after my mother."

"Your mother? Vhy?" asked Kurt.

Evan felt reluctant to tell his secrets to anybody, especially people he had just met. It was so hard to tell anybody his parents were loveless, soulless drug addicts. However, these particular strangers just saved his life. He felt he owed them at most an explanation.

"Because she owed them money. Those guys were drug dealers...My mother is an addict who just couldn't stop even though she didn't have the money," said Evan.

The rest of the group responded with shock.

"Wow...I'm sorry to hear that," said Jean.

"Don't be sorry...It's out of my hands. My mother is in so much debt right now, she can't even pay the cheap rent in our crappy apartment. You see...Ever since my dad died of an overdose...She's been so irrational and eccentric it's scary. And what's worse is she blames me. Hell, if I were to go back I'd bet she'd say that she has no son."

Evan struggled to get out those last few words. He hated showing weakness, but for some reason it didn't matter around this group of kid. They looked back at him with a sense of sympathy, but they also showed a look of pain themselves as his story brought back some painful memories for the rest of them.

"Hey, you're not alone mein friend. Ve all know what it's like to have terrible parents. Ve also know how hard it is to talk about it. That's vhy ve all ran away...That's vhy ve all stick together as vell," replied Kurt breaking the silence.

Evan took their sincerity seriously, but he didn't think he could stay with them. After all...There was something else about him he hadn't told them yet. Now he felt it was best to get it over with.

"That's good to hear. Look, thanks for all your help guys, but I had better get going," said Evan as he stood up.

"Go? But where?" asked Kitty.

"Nowhere...I can't go back home...To many painful memories...But I can look after myself. I have a little gift that has protected me before." Then, Evan closed his eyes and his arms then formed large bony spikes along with a strange rock plate. Evan was surprised to see that they hadn't gasped in horror, rather look at it with amazement. However, it didn't matter to him. "Now I doubt you'll want me to stay."

Evan turned around to leave, but suddenly Kurt appeared in front of him in an instant flash. Evan became dazed by confusion.

"You'd be wrong my friend...Ve are all different as vell," said Kurt as he touched a button on his watch. Then his image was changed to that of a fuzzy, blue humanoid.

Evan looked back at each of them in amazement.

"So that's how you bought me here!" said the bewildered boy.

Then, Evan watched as each teen demonstrated their abilities. Scott shot a hole in the wall with his optic blasts, Jean floated a large wooden crate with her mind, and Kitty phased through a stack of newspapers.

"We all have abilities as well. We also don't have homes to go to that would accept us. So don't think for one second that you have to be alone out there," said Scott.

Evan managed to smile at Scott's words. The others couldn't help smile too.

"So how about it? Vill you stay vith us?" asked Kurt. "The more the better."

"Yeah..." said Evan, "I think I will. I owe you guys that much for helping me."

Bad memories still haunted Evan Daniels and there was little doubt that they would never stop. However, with some new friends by his side he felt he could learn to cope. It would be a hard struggle, but there was no escaping it. After getting to know his new friends, he decided to finally rest. The rest of the group soon followed suite. Kurt and Kitty fell asleep next to each other and Jean had dozed off leaning on Scott's shoulder. Evan closed his eyes as he lay his head against his skateboard that he was using as a pillow. As he started to nod off, he heard the gentle sounds of a guitar. He looked to up to see Scott playing a soothing tune. As he listened to the lyrics it reminded him of how far he had come. Now, he had to start again from nothing. This new life was by no means perfect...But it was enough for now.

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AN: That's it for this chapter. Stay tuned if you want to see the introduction of the final member, Rogue. She's the next one so I hope you all eagerly await her story. Please remember to REVIEW this story thus far. Post them on or send them to me at I beg you all to tell me what you think! I am open to all criticism. Thanks for reading! Until next time, best wishes to you all! 


	7. Rogue

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 6: Rogue**

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AN: This chapter takes place a few months after the last one. The ages are all the same as before. They are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 17 years old in this part and Kitty is 14 and Kurt is 15 and Evan is 13 and Rogue is 16.

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"Is anybody out there? Anybody? Somebody please...Help me...Tell me. Who am I? What am I?"

A young 16-year-old girl jolted up from her sleep once again. She just had another nightmare. Tired, she tried to catch her breath. But, these dreams seemed to haunt her whether she was sleeping or not. Some of these dreams weren't even hers, but that only scared her more. This girl...Didn't have a name in a normal sense. This girl...Was very different. She didn't know who she was; she didn't know who her real parents were; she didn't even know her real name. She was so confused and distraught. However, she did go by one name...Rogue.

The teenage girl looked out the window of the speeding train she had been riding for the last few hours. She watched the landscape speed by her. Where it was going...She didn't care. She had just been hopping trains for the last few weeks just to get away. Nobody sat near her, because of how she looked. It was easy to sense the fear other people had when they looked at her. It still pained her to see their expressions. She was pale...Very pale. She wore strange, dirty clothes. They were of a gothic nature and it fit her rather well. She also had a distinguishing white streak of hair.

Even thought she didn't know who she was, Rogue did know a little bit about where she came from. Originally, she was from the Deep South. She had lived there for as long as she could remember. She also remembered that it hadn't been the happiest of places to live. As this thought crossed her mind she tried not to think about it. She had some painful memories about where she came from. This was made worse by the fact that she didn't know if some of these memories were even hers to begin with. That's part of the reason why she ran away, because it became too hard for her to deal with such thoughts. Now she was on a train heading north with little money and nothing but the clothes on her back.

The teenage girl simply sighed as she continued to watch the landscape of New York speed by. She didn't really care where she was going, just as long as it wasn't back to where she came from. As Rogue became lost in the sight of the land, the event of what happened a week ago started to replay in her mind once again.

FLASHBACK

The music was blaring and the happy sounds of carefree teenagers could be heard. The night sky was crystal clear and the waters of the swamp stood eerily still. Most people would relish this night, but for one teenage girl it was completely the opposite.

Rogue stood out looking over the calm waters by herself as the rest of her schoolmates were in the nearby dance hall having a good time. She was never one who liked social events and this was no exception. The only reason she had come was to get out of her house, which was sometimes worse than school. Most of the kids at school weren't very nice to her at all. That could be easily attributed to her appearance, but it also stemmed from her quiet, anti-social behavior. Girls like her were easy victims in a ridged place like the Deep South. More than once, Rogue had been assaulted by violent groups and beaten severely. She was beaten so bad she was nearly killed on two occasions. These were memories she hated to think about, but couldn't help it no matter how hard she tried. As Rogue stood outside lost in thought, she didn't notice two boys approaching her from behind.

"Come on Cody! A bet's a bet!" said one of the boys.

"Shawn...I know it's fifty bucks and all, but HER! Man, I tell ya, this may be outta my league," said the boy known as Cody.

"Cody, you're the star quarterback, you should have no problem!" coaxed Shawn to his friend.

"That ain't got nothin' to do with it and you know it! I wouldn't be caught dead with ol goth girl! Besides, ain't she the one we've been pokin' fun at since elementary school?"

"The one and only, that's why they chose her."

"Yeah, but do you know what ma parents say about her? Do you know what everybody in this whole damn school says about her?" exclaimed Cody.

"Yeah, yeah...We know. She's some sort of satanic goth or something, but that doesn't mean you can weasel yourself outta this. Like I said before, a bet's a bet."

Cody then let out a sigh, "Okay man...Let's do this."

Cody then walked up to the quiet girl known only as Rogue. As he walked up beside her, she seemed not to take notice of her presence at all.

"Hey..." he said innocently.

Rogue didn't respond at first.

"Nice night huh?" said Cody as he tried to hide his frustration over having to do this out of a fifty dollar bet from his football buddies.

"What do you want?" said Rogue finally in an aggravated tone.

"Hey, hey..." said Cody holding his hands up innocently, "Can't I enjoy the scenery too?"

"Well, can't ya enjoy it somewhere else?" replied Rogue in her thick southern accent.

"Maybe I don't want to," replied Cody trying to sound innocently. He could tell some of his football friends were watching this and thoroughly enjoying it.

Rogue didn't say anything for brief moment. Then, she turned around to leave.

"Hey, where are you goin?" asked Cody as she stopped.

"Like you would care...Ain't you one of those guys who use to trip me all the time and make fun of me back in elementary school?" said Rogue starting to sound hostile.

"Oh that...Come on it was a long time ago. Can't I make amends?" said Cody with a false smile. Rogue looked back at him skeptically. "Look, you wanna dance?"

"I don't dance," replied Rogue.

"Aww come on...At least try," said Cody putting on his legendary football star charm.

Rogue couldn't help but get suckered in to Cody's charm. After all, he was one of the most popular boys in school and here he was...Asking her...The outcast goth to dance.

"Fine...If it'll shut ya up," said Rogue in defeat.

A smirk grew across Cody's face and unknown to her, so did the rest of Cody's football crew. Wearily, Rogue walked in to the dance hall through the blaring lights and loud music. It was all so overwhelming to her since she wasn't use to being around so many people. However, she had taken a chance and she wanted to at least see it through. Maybe it could help her.

As she tried to dance, Cody was already in to it. Rogue, ever the shy one, struggled to follow.

"You see that's it...Just let it out," coaxed Cody with another false smile.

Rogue started to loosen up a bit, but she was still nervous. Maybe this wasn't for her after all. She still couldn't fight this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she had made a big mistake. As she tried to forget this, a group of Cody's buddies began to sneak up behind her. She didn't sense them, for she was too busy trying to fit in to her new surroundings. Then, she saw a wide grin spread across Cody's face. It looked almost...Mischievous. Suddenly, Rogue heard laughing behind her. She turned around, but as soon as she did she immediately wished she hadn't. Before she could react, a group of jocks and a few cheerleaders dumped a huge cooler of cold water mixed with ice on to the unsuspecting girl's head.

Immediately, the whole hall erupted in to laughter as Rogue stood humiliated before them. Cody, Shawn, and the rest of the football players laughed the loudest. Rogue tried not to cry, but she couldn't help it. She felt so stupid and embarrassed.

"You owe me fifty bucks Shawn!" said Cody through the laughter. "I told you all that nobody can resist the ol Cody Hawkins charm!"

Rogue's make up began to run as she tried to block out the laughing that seemed to singe her mind. It wasn't as if something like this had happened before, however. Rogue had been hazed, beaten up, and humiliated many times before over the years. But this had to have been one of the worst ever.

As Cody looked back at her he struggled to suppress another laugh. "Come on ROGUE! It's just a joke, lighten up!"

Rogue was about to turn away and leave, but then she saw Cody reach for her arm.

"It was just a..."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" yelled Rogue as she grabbed his hand, but then something happened.

A strange feeling came over her...It was like getting shocked by electricity. Suddenly, pictures went zooming through her head so fast she almost passed out. Cody too was looking like something was happening to him. He looked like he had just been struck by lightning. Rogue finally let go of his hand and Cody then collapsed on to the floor, unmoving. Rogue struggled to keep her balance as she grabbed her head in pain. A large group of people encircled Cody and tried to wake him up. Laughter had turned to shock as everybody began to look back at Rogue in fear.

"Oh ma God! Is he okay?" said one girl.

"I don't know. He's out cold," said one of the other jocks.

Shawn looked down at Cody, then turned his attention to Rogue.

"What'd you do?" demanded Shawn in an angry voice.

"I...I..." said Rogue, but she couldn't get any words out. Her head was still spinning.

"WHAT'D YOU DO?"

He started to walk towards her, but before he got close she shoved him out of the way with surprising strength and ran to the door.

"Max, stop her!" yelled Shawn.

A big, oversized guy blocked the door. He was one of the linemen on the football team, but that didn't cause Rogue to slow down in the slightest. With lightning fast reflexes, she passed the oversized jock and kept running.

"Whoa...I thought only Cody had moves like that."

She ran and she ran. Where...She didn't know.

"Who am I...What just happened?" said Rogue to herself as she stopped along the vacant road.

Everything was so fuzzy now. Her head wouldn't stop spinning for some reason. She had all these thoughts, but they didn't feel like hers. She couldn't remember where she lived, what her name was, or anything else of the sort. She started walking down the road and kept trying to remember. But she couldn't no matter how hard she tried. It was all just one big blur. She grew scared, afraid, and anxious. As she walked down the road, none of it looked very familiar. The images and thoughts in her head still ran through her mind, but she couldn't stop them. For what seemed like hours she wandered the narrow, country road. She stayed on it until she finally came to a house that looked familiar. She didn't know why or how, but something told her this was the house she was from. It was not a very big house at all. It looked dirty and grimy and the land around it didn't look that much batter. The memories in her head had begun to fade over the last few hours, but she still couldn't remember fully. Slowly, she made her way in to the house.

She looked around and it looked familiar, but it was still very fuzzy in her head. She walked up to the front door and found that it was open. The confused young girl walked wearily in to the house and tried to remember. The layout looked familiar, but she still couldn't recall anything. She then felt her head throb in pain. She closed her eyes and clutched her head, trying to make it go away. She fell to her knees as the pain increased.

"Stop...Make it stop," said Rogue in a weak voice.

Then she heard a sound coming from the other room. Her head jerked up and she struggled to her feet. Slowly, the pain in her head began to alleviate. Rogue entered the other room and flipped on the light.

"Turn that off!" yelled a voice.

Instinctively, Rogue obeyed as she immediately turned the lights back off. The woman who had said those words belonged to an old, grumpy looking lady. Then, some of her memories returned to Rogue...But she immediately wished they hadn't.

"What do you want?" said the old lady in an overly annoyed tone. There were numerous cigarette packs and empty bottles of gin and whisky all over the floor. It didn't take long for Rogue to put all this together.

This lady's name was Agnis...Rogue's foster mother. Why she ever adopted Rogue was beyond anything she could contemplate. The main reason was probably for the child support money the state paid her. No doubt that's were she was able to get all the liquor and cigarettes.

Rogue's memories became clearer as she looked at the old lady. However, she wished they hadn't. She remembered how this woman had neglected her for years. She would disappear for weeks at a time and leave her all alone to nearly starve to death. She wouldn't help her when the kids at school beat her up and picked on her. She would even forget she was there at times and just insult her in anger when she did remember. Sometimes her anger was so great she'd take it all out on Rogue and just assault her in every way imaginable verbally, physically, and sometimes even sexually. Agnis rarely fed her, rarely protected her, or even so much as acknowledge her. She just made Rogue's life a living hell and that's it.

As these memories returned to her, Rogue started to feel faint and short of breath. Agnis then got up, annoyed by Rogue's prescience.

"Are you just gonna stand there Rogue? Huh?" said Agnis growing angrier. Rogue still didn't respond. "ANSWER ME!" yelled the old lady finally as she grabbed her hand violently.

However, the same thing that happened to Cody, happened to her. Rogue once again felt as if she was being electrocuted by the contact between her and Agnis. After Rogue let go, the old lady collapsed to the floor. Rogue once again grew dazed and confused. Now she had new images in her head even when the old ones hadn't left her. She felt the pain in her head once again and fled to her room. As soon as she walked in to the cramped, dirty room she collapsed on to the bed...And cried.

She couldn't stop crying. The images and thoughts in her head now seemed to belong to Agnis. They were all dark, full of hate, and directed largely towards her. She truly didn't love her...She didn't even like her.

'She hates me...' thought Rogue through her tears. 'Everyone hates me...Nobody cares...Nobody...'

She continued to cry as feelings of despair overwhelmed her. She couldn't stay here anymore; she couldn't stand it. No love...No hope. This was no life. Slowly, Rogue got up and started to gather whatever food, money, and clothes she could. There wasn't very much to gather, but she grabbed what she could. As soon as she was done, she ran out the door and never looked back.

END FLASHBACK

Since that one fateful night she had been hopping trains. She didn't care where they went; she just took them to get away. The one she was on now was stopping at Rochester, New York. She would get off there and find yet another means to get away. Where she would stop...She didn't know. For now, she just wanted to run. She wanted to run away from all the pain within herself. But no matter where she went it was still there. After she left, she also started to wear gloves at all times. She couldn't touch anyone...It just caused more pain. Not just to herself, but to others as well and that was much worse.

As she watched the sunset in the sky, she felt the train finally slow down. It was at the last stop and she would have to get off. As the rush of people made their way off, Rogue took her time and didn't leave in that much of a hurry. When she walked out, she felt the crisp evening air blow across her. The sunset had left the city in a calm, orange glow. With too little money for a train ticket, she would have to roam the streets for now. It wasn't something she hadn't done before, but that didn't make it any less painful to do. With nowhere to go she just walked the busy streets of the city.

The streets were fairly crowded and rush hour had set in. Rogue tried her best to keep her distance, but in such city streets that was next to impossible. Soon, she felt her head start to hurt again and she slowed down. These headaches weren't as bad as they were a week ago, but they were still painful. Disoriented, Rogue soon found a bench along the street to sit on as she waited for the pain to pass her by. She took a few deep breaths, hoping that would help. The sun continued to set and the sky grew ever more dark. However, Rogue didn't care. It was all the same to her. Nobody stopped to help; nobody showed any concern. Who could for someone who looked like her? As she was lost in thought, she heard something through the city noise. It was something different. It was something...Soothing.

'That music...' thought Rogue, 'Where's it comin' from?'

She looked through the crowd and saw the source from a nearby street corner. She moved to another bench to get a closer look. Rogue found that the music was coming from a boy...A boy that looked only a year or so older than her. He was sitting casually on the corner with an empty bucket to his side. There was also a small sign above it saying "Homeless...Please help."

Ever so often somebody would put a little loose change in, but it wasn't much. Rogue thought it should have been more. The soothing music the boy played on the old, dirty guitar was beautiful to her. As Rogue sat, mesmerized by the soft tune, she took notice of the boy's appearance. He was tall and very thin. From the looks of it, he hadn't had a decent meal in some time. His clothes were dirty and raggedy, just like hers. He also had a mysterious blindfold covering his eyes, but Rogue didn't think too much of it. However, this boy wasn't alone. Leaning up against his side was a redheaded girl, who looked about his age. When they boy stopped singing, she took over so the music didn't have to stop. The boy and the girl appeared close...Real close, in more ways than one. Rogue stayed and listened to this music long after he headache was gone. The soothing tune seemed to help her forget about all the pain that plagued her. For what seemed like hours, she just sat and listened. She listened until finally, she got up and walked over. She dug in to her pocket and fished out one of her last few dollars and put it in the bucket with the rest of the change.

"Thank you," said the girl as the boy continued playing.

Rogue managed to smile ever so briefly. She was about to leave, but that music just wouldn't let her. Slowly, she made her way back to the bench and kept on listening. She stayed there until the sky was dark and the stars came out. Rogue just watched the stars as they appeared while the music calmed her tortured soul. She didn't know what would happen next...She didn't have the slightest clue. But for now she tried not to think about it. She just tried to relax and listen to the soft music.

For what seemed like hours after the sun had set, the music kept on playing. Even when the voices of both the girl and the boy sounded raspy and tired, they kept playing. As the crowd of people grew less, the music became clearer. Rogue remained on the bench, still staring at the stars.

"You've been listening for quite while now haven't you?" said a voice.

Rogue looked over at the boy with the blindfold. He was looking in her direction...Could he see her?

"Are you talkin' to me?" replied Rogue.

"Well, you're the only one who hasn't moved in the last few hours so...Yeah, I guess I am," said the boy.

Rogue got up and slowly walked over.

"How'd ya know I was listening?" asked Rogue.

"Just because I'm blind, it doesn't mean I don't have eyes," replied the boy referring to the redheaded girl next to him. She smiled at Rogue for some reason, as if her appearance didn't matter to her at all.

"Oh...Well, I thought it was real good and...I really don't have anywhere to be. So I stayed," replied Rogue as her words stuttered.

"Well thank you," said the boy as he stood up. "That means a lot to me."

Rogue couldn't help but smile.

"Your welcome," she said.

There was a brief pause between them.

"You're not from around here are you?" said the girl.

Rogue shook her head, "No...I ain't. I'm from the south."

"The south huh?" said the boy, "So what brings you to New York?" replied the redheaded girl.

Rogue didn't want to answer that. She didn't want anybody to know. Besides, why would she care? Why would anybody care? But still...

"I...Don't wanna talk about it," replied Rogue after an awkward silence.

She saw a strange look of understanding come across both their faces. It was strange...As if they knew what she meant.

"Well, then you don't have to," said the boy with a reassuring look, "I'm Scott by the way. And this is Jean."

"It's nice to meet you...I'm Rogue."

"Rogue?" said Jean with a bit of intrigue, "That's a neat name."

"Uh...Thanks," replied Rogue.

She didn't know what to say after that. Nobody had ever spoken to her this long without playing a prank on her. They obviously seemed sincere. It was strange to Rogue because she had never met anybody out there that acted this way towards her. It was a welcome, yet unfamiliar feeling.

"Are you hungry Rogue? I thought I heard your stomach growl a minute ago," said the blindfolded Scott.

"Uh...Yeah. I guess I am," replied Rogue who was slightly surprised by the blind boy's keen senses.

The two just smiled at her.

"Well, why don't we get you something to eat then?"

Scott and Jean took their new friend and bought some hotdogs with the money that playing the guitar had accumulated. Rogue couldn't help but feel guilty at accepting food from these people who looked more famished then she did. But they wouldn't take no for an answer. It was almost surreal, for Rogue actually felt she could fit in with these two. And she had never fit in with anybody her whole life. As the hours wore on the trio just sat around and talked about this and that. It wasn't long before Rogue learned that they too were runaways. They both came from terrible broken homes and had been on the streets for years. It didn't raise Rogue's hopes very much, but she never considered for a second going back.

"Well, thanks fer yer help you two, but I better get goin," said Rogue as she finished up her hotdog.

"Where will you go?" asked Jean.

Rogue paused for a moment.

"I don't know...I just..." she stopped there, unable to go any further.

"Well, why don't you come with us? We stay in an old, vacant building a few blocks from here. We can help you," said Scott.

"No...I couldn't accept that. It's dangerous to be around me...And I don't wanna hurt you," said Rogue.

"What do you mean?" asked Jean.

"Well...Let's just say. I ain't wearin' as much makeup as it seems," replied Rogue as she got up and started to walk away.

"Wait...I understand," said Scott. Rogue stopped and just looked at him quizzically. "This blindfold covers more than just my eyes you know."

Rogue turned around. She didn't know what to make of those words, but they made sense to her in some way. She just didn't know what. There was something about them that just kept urging her to stick around. Rogue contemplated this briefly, but it wasn't long before she made a decision.

"Okay...I'll stay."

"Great," said Jean with a smile, "Let's go. I'll show you where we stay."

Rogue slowly followed them as they made their way through the dark streets of the city. She noticed Jean holding on to Scott's arm...As if she was guiding him. Maybe that's what Scott meant when he said just because he was blind that doesn't mean he didn't have eyes. It was strange...As if Jean needed him for protection and he Scott needed her for sight. Before she could ponder this any more, they arrived at an old, abandoned apartment building. They lead her around the back to a door in the alley where they entered. They made their way down to the basement where Rogue was met with three, unfamiliar figures.

"Hey Scott! How'd you do today?" said a voice from the corner.

"Not bad...Just enough for a couple of hotdogs," replied Scott.

Then the three strangers took notice of Rogue. She nervously watched as they approached her, but they didn't seem too hostile. One was s thin, African-American boy that looked a few years younger than her, the other was a brown-haired girl that looked a bit older than him, and the other was a very strange looking boy she couldn't quite make out. As he stepped out of the shadows his appearance became visible. Rogue looked wearily as his features came in to focus. He was blue, he had fur, and he had a tail as well. Rogue looked at the blue boy with a sense of panic, but he seemed to pick up on this.

"It's all right...I von't hurt you," said the boy calmly in a thick German accent.

Rogue calmed down slightly at his soft words. His expression was non-threatening and his seemed more afraid of her than she was of him.

"Rogue...This is Evan, Kitty, and Kurt," said Scott as he sensed her sudden anxiety. "Everybody, this is Rogue. She has nowhere to go...And she needs somewhere to stay."

Rogue was surprised to see them all smile back at her. Gradually, she felt herself calm down.

"Rogue huh?" said Kitty, "Cool name. Come on, you look tired."

It was strange, but they seemed very sincere. They weren't afraid of her. Just like Scott and Jean, they treated her kindly and she couldn't help but smile. They were all very much alike. Rogue noticed they all looked dirty and famished, just like Scott and Jean. She learned they were all runaways too. Even thought they weren't too willing to talk about it, Rogue finally didn't feel so alone. But she had yet to tell him about her other little secret...

"Look, you all have been real nice to me...But I can't stay," said Rogue.

"Vhat? Vhy not?" said Kurt who had taken an immediate fondness to her upon getting to know her.

"It's not you...I just...Have a problem. If I were to touch you...I'd probably put you in to a coma. It's one of the reasons why I ran away in the first place. I...I touched this boy...And as soon as I did he passed out. He didn't die, but he was out cold. And after that it seemed like...Everything he knew, I knew. And everything he could do, I could do. I can't explain it, but whenever someone touches me...I hurt them." Rogue couldn't help but choke on her words. She didn't like reliving the painful memories that bought this on. However, she was surprised to see that her new friends didn't seem all that scared.

"So...When you touch somebody...You absorb them?" asked Jean.

"Yeah...It doesn't last, but it still makes me feel...I don't know...Weird," said Rogue as she struggled to find the right words. "I don't blame ya if you want me to leave now."

Scott just shook his head, "We don't want you to leave Rogue, in fact we'd be glad if you stayed. You see...You're not the only one with strange abilities."

Rogue looked at him in confusion. Then, she watched as each one of them demonstrated a strange ability. Scott shot lasers from his eyes, Jean made several small boxes float in to mid air, Kitty passed right through a solid wall and back, Evan made strange bony extensions come out of his skin, and Kurt vanished from one end of the room to the other and back. Rogue was amazed...These feats were impossible...Weren't they?

"You're not alone Rogue," said Kurt as he reappeared. "Ve all have strange powers. That's vhy ve stick together."

"But...Aren't you all scared that I might hurt you if ya touch me?" said Rogue.

"Let us worry about that," reassured Scott, "The thing is...We can help you and you can help us. We all have nothing...We're all runaways...But that doesn't mean that we have to be alone."

There was a long period of silence. They could tell Rogue was contemplating. She didn't know what to do. These people didn't even know her, but they were willing to help her. She didn't know people like that even existed. They weren't afraid of her and she didn't have any reason to be afraid of them. After a while, a slow smile spread across her face. The others soon followed and smiled as well.

"I'll stay," said Rogue.

"Thank you," said Jean with a smile.

"No...Thank you."

As the night wore on, fatigue overcame the group. They were all lost souls, beaten and abused to no end. And now they had found each other. Each one of them suffered from hunger, poverty, and despair. But that didn't mean they had to be lonely. Certain kids in the group formed a deep bond with another. But there remained a single feeling of comradery that permeated to each one of them. They helped each other when they couldn't help themselves. They became like a family in every way except blood. In a way, that was all they needed. The future didn't seem too bright at all for them. They were to face hunger, pain, and just plain sadness. They had nothing and they were all alone in a hostile world. They didn't know what they were and they were still scared about what they were becoming. However, for now they had what they needed to survive...Each other.

As everybody in the group fell asleep, Scott stayed awake. Jean was silently resting on his shoulder...Simply enjoying his warmth. Scott smiled down at the redheaded girl even though he couldn't see her. But maybe...He didn't have to. As he looked at Jean and the rest of his friends he picked up his guitar and started to play. The tune helped sooth the tortured souls of the friends around him. For now, they could feel at peace...Even if it was only briefly.

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AN: Well, there's the last intro character. Sorry this chapter ran long, but I just couldn't help it. The next chapter will get in to how these rag tag mutant live day by day and the first mention of Professor Xavier. Stay tuned if you want to see more romance, drama, and angst! Remember to review! Go and post them on or send them to me at Thanks again and best wishes to you all!

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	8. Life on the Streets

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Chapter 7: Life on the Streets  
  
AN: This chapter takes place a year after the last one. The ages are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 18 years old in this part and Kitty is 15 and Kurt is 16 and Evan is 14 and Rogue is 17.  
  
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It had been a full year since the paths of six lost souls found each other in their darkest hours. Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Kurt Wagner, Evan Daniels, and Rogue had become a makeshift family. They were alone, hungry, and had nowhere to go. Every day was struggle for survival. Raiding through garbage cans and begging had become a way of life. The lack of food, money, and shelter had taken a toll on all of them. They were forced to wear old, dirty clothes that came mainly from charities and their constant lack of food had reduced all of them to bare bones. It was made even more difficult by their strange and unusual abilities that they all still struggled to understand and many times they found them difficult to control. They often tried to seek solstice in homeless shelters or with the authorities, but they were always kicked out when these powers showed themselves. The police and social services had completely shut them out and left them on the streets to suffer. They would always tell them that they had no use for 'freaks.' This did little to boost their hopes of finding a home.  
  
Scott had quite possibly the worst situation with his powers. The deadly, uncontrollable blasts from his eyes and the blindness that came with it had hindered his ability to function normally. He was also the one who had been on the streets the longest. He had struggled on them since he was ten. Despite being blind he had adapted his senses well enough to a point where he could see to a livable extent. To some it was a sixth sense, to others it was just pure adaptation. It was still hard though. With his talent for music, he was able to keep both his and the others' spirit from sinking completely. Scott made his contributions to his friends with his skill on the guitar and was able to bring in some much-needed money by playing for peoples' loose change in the streets. The money wasn't much and Scott didn't always have the strength to play because of the chronic lack of food, but whenever he felt like stopping, Jean Grey would always push him on.  
  
Jean Grey's powers also had terrible side effects that made her life more painful than it already was. She constantly suffered severe headaches and surges in her powers that caused objects to fly and the ground to shake. They always seem to get worse; but every time she had one, Scott was always there by her side to calm her down with his gentle words. Jean often found herself seeking Scott's warmth and seldom left his side. She had also become Scott's working eyes and sometimes was able to allow him to see ever so briefly when she used her powers. For these reasons, Scott Summers and Jean Grey were very close in many ways.  
  
Kitty Pryde's powers had their own set of problems. It became a given that if Kitty fell asleep on one floor she would sometimes wake up on another. Her abilities were hard to control whenever she was startled or stricken by panic. She spent a lot of time trying to manage her abilities through concentration, but her lack of knowledge gave her limited results. Many times she became frustrated by this and often cried because of it. However, she had managed to deal with it to a certain extent thanks to her best friend Kurt.  
  
Kurt had the misfortune of looking completely inhuman to the outside world. He was afraid to even walk in front of a window sometimes. His image inducer helped him walk freely among others, but it still left Kurt isolated and anxious about it. When people got a glimpse of his real form, they often screamed in fear. Events like that bought back old memories of lynch mobs back in Germany when he was growing up. They were hard to deal with, but his best friend Kitty always kept him sane. She helped him and he helped her. It was because of this, Kurt and Kitty shared a bond similar to Scott and Jean's.  
  
Evan was fiercely independent compared to the rest of the group. He was never afraid to defend himself with his powers even though he didn't quite know how to work them. His tough nature did help ward off would-be attackers. Street thugs and gangs never seemed to leave them alone and Evan was usually the most aggressive when it came to defending his only friends. He had made it clear that he would not loose the only family he knew now and was aggressive in defending them. However, the rest of the group kept him from letting his emotions get too out of control. For reasons like that he always stuck by them and did as much as he could to help them. Despite the occasional barrage of spikes caused by sneezes and other startling things, Evan found a deep friendship with these fellow runaways. However, Evan still couldn't forget about his Aunt Ororo. It had been so long since he had spoken to her and he still tried to contact her every day, but the result was always the same. He felt that if anybody could help him and his new friends, his aunt could.  
  
Rogue was the quietest member of the group. She kept to herself most of the time, but she always stuck by these people who were the only friends she ever had. Even if she didn't talk, they still treated her with kindness and respect. Despite being the most isolated, she never liked to leave the company of her friends for very long. It bough back too many bad memories of being so alone. Rogue would talk on some occasions, but she was always more of a listener. The things Kurt, Kitty, Scott, Jean, and Evan would say helped keep her spirits up. She needed to be kept lively, for her powers were a frequent source of depression. Over the months she had accidentally come in to contact with some of her friends and they were knocked out for hours on end because of it. Whenever she touched them she grew dazed, confused, and scared. However, her friends stayed by her side and helped her through such ordeals. Rogue was always amazed how they could let somebody who could potentially kill by touch stay with them. For that she was very grateful and she stuck by them.  
  
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It was a balmy spring day in the city of Bayville. The six teens had recently taken up residence in the inner city area after being forced to leave Rochester because of lynch mobs that were bent on killing the 'dirty freaks.' Not that they couldn't blame them, but it only made life harder than it was. Scott had been sitting on a street corner playing his guitar for hours. It was around 3:00 PM and there weren't many people passing by. It was a given that there were never many people out and about on a Sunday afternoon. Yet, Scott still played his guitar for the people who were out. Jean, of course, was by his side and sang on occasion when Scott's voice became too tired. Rogue was also there as well and she sometimes sang too.  
  
"Get a job...Worthless bums," said a man as he walked past them.  
  
Scott kept playing, but he could sense the hurt Jean and Rogue felt from that comment. Scott had been on the streets the longest, but he still could never quite block out comments like that.  
  
"Don't listen to him..." said Scott as Jean leaned against him for comfort.  
  
"He's right though...We are worthless bums," said Jean solemnly.  
  
"No...Don't ever let yourself think that Jean...Never."  
  
Rogue watched this scene unfold before her and couldn't help but tear up slightly. Words like those were common to her, but they still hurt. She was, however, very good at keeping her emotions bottled up...But Jean wasn't. She didn't know if it was good or bad for her.  
  
Just then Kurt, Kitty, and Evan approached them and Scott stopped playing for a brief moment.  
  
"Any luck contacting your Aunt?" asked Scott even though he knew what the answer was probably going to be.  
  
"Nope," said Evan as he shook his head, "But we did scrape but some food in a dumpster. We saved you three some."  
  
With a small smile Jean, Scott, and Rogue ate what Evan had bought. They were just a small bag of soggy French fries from a fast food restaurant, but when you're starving all of the time pretty much anything will taste good. After eating what was there, the three other teens took a seat next to their friends. They leaned against the wall while they listened to Scott play again. Nobody said much except for some causal comments here and there. There wasn't much to talk about; everybody was just too tired. Recent nightmares had reeked havoc on their sleep. Some were about violence, some were about torture, and others were even about rape. All in all, nobody in the group was sleeping particularly well.  
  
"Maybe you should take a break, Scott," said Kurt, who had his inducer on. "You've been playing almost non-stop since 9:00 AM."  
  
"I can't Kurt...We still need money. We've been running really low lately," replied Scott.  
  
"We always run low," said Rogue.  
  
"Yeah...I know," said Scott with a sigh as he continued playing.  
  
Suddenly, they heard loud noises in the distance. It sounded like police sirens and they were getting louder. Most of the people around them made their way away from them, but the young teens quickly got up and ran towards them as curiosity took over. Then, in the distance over bridge they saw two speeding vans that looked like armored cars fleeing from a large cluster of police cars. As they got closer, gunshots could be heard from both of them and they seemed to be firing back at the police. They caused some other cars belonging to innocent by-standards to swerve off to the side. As the six teens watched with amazement, they saw the two cars exit the highway and speed down towards them in the inner city roads.  
  
"Oh no, they're coming this way," said Jean.  
  
"Vell, vhat do ve do?" asked Kurt as they got closer.  
  
There was a brief silence between them. Even though common sense said to get out of the way and let the police handle it, it seemed that the police weren't in any position to stop them. Over the voice of common sense was a nagging feeling that urged them all to do the right thing. In the end, the voice of heroism won.  
  
"We do...Whatever we can," said Scott.  
  
Getting the message, Evan nodded and stepped in to the middle of the street where the armored cars were heading. Even though they were acting on an impulse, the group didn't falter. There were no people near, for they had fled upon seeing the cars coming their way. Now, only the six teens remained. As the cars came in to sight, Evan concentrated and tried to do the same thing he did a year ago back when he fled his home. Soon he felt the strange bony spikes pierce his skin and line both of his arms. Then, the young boy closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and fired each of the extensions from his arm like rockets. The projectiles soon made contact with the tires of the armored cars.  
  
BANG!  
  
The tires exploded after coming in to contact with the razor sharp projectiles and the first car began to swerve off on to the sidewalk...Right toward two unsuspecting pedestrians that appeared out of nowhere.  
  
"Kurt! Over there!" yelled Rogue as she saw the armored car skidding towards them.  
  
"I've got them!" said Kurt as he closed his eyes and concentrated.   
  
Immediately, he disappeared in a could of smoke and appeared behind the two pedestrians that seemed paralyzed by the oncoming vehicle. Suddenly, Kurt appeared right behind them, grabbed each of their shoulders, and promptly teleported them out of there with less than a second to spare.  
  
The other car drove past the wreckage of the first car undaunted, but they didn't get too far. Scott, who had been waiting on the side of the road, stepped up. Using his acute sense of hearing he determined where the car was coming from. Then he swiftly lifted up his blindfold and unleashed a very strong blast from his eyes. The beam of bright red light made contact with the van and tore through it like a hot knife through butter. This van as well skidded off towards the sidewalk and like the previous one...It was heading right towards a mother and her infant baby.  
  
"Kitty!" began Jean, but she was already gone.  
  
"I've got them!" said Kitty as she ran as fast as she could towards the paralyzed figures.  
  
The mother's legs had been frozen in place and all she could do was shield her child with her body. Kitty, pushing herself beyond her normal limits, leaped towards the innocent pedestrians and grabbed hold of them. The deafening crash that they had been bracing for never came...The van had passed right through her. As the lady regained her composure, Kitty made her escape by phasing through the wall behind her.  
  
The five men had been driving the armored cars then gathered in the streets armed with automatic weapons. They were all equally dazed by what just happened.  
  
"What the hell happened?" yelled one of them.  
  
"I don't know...But it's every man for himself now! So just grab some money and RUN!" yelled another.  
  
As the men tried to grab what money they could, they were being watched by Jean Grey from behind a corner. She took a few deep breaths and tried to concentrate. The pressure in her head increased as she felt her powers inside her grow. Suddenly, as the men were scrambling for scattered money among the wreckage they felt their guns mysteriously yanked from their grips by some unseen force.  
  
"Huh?!" yelled one of them.  
  
The guns were flung in to the distance and the five men stood dazed. Suddenly, three of men floated off the ground.  
  
"AHHHHH! What the hell is going on here!" yelled the hapless would-be crooks.  
  
The other two stood dazed, not believe what they were seeing, but seeing it none-the-less. Then, the three floating robbers were flung against one of the armored cars and knocked out cold.  
  
"Shit! What do we do now!?" said one of the terrified crooks that was still standing.  
  
"You gotta ask?" said the other as they both started to run away.  
  
They ran in to a narrow alley where they hoped to loose the police. However, they were soon confronted by Rogue who had been hiding behind a dumpster.  
  
"Lights out boys!" said Rogue as she put her bare hands on their faces and knocked them out.  
  
Police sirens were getting closer and it was now time for the six teens to make their escape. Kurt made a few quick trips via teleportation and soon bought each one of them back to their makeshift home in the basement of an abandoned apartment building that was nearby. They hadn't wanted to stick around for the police to find them. They knew all too well what they might do so the group had to wait out the whole thing. However, upon returning, it appeared Jean was unable to subdue her powers.  
  
"Is she okay?" asked Evan as he saw her clenching her head.  
  
"No, I think she's having another one of her seizures," said Scott in a worried tone.  
  
Soon, the others gathered around her. They knew they had to calm her down somehow or she might draw the attention of the police outside.  
  
"Can you calm her down?" asked Kitty.  
  
"I think so," said Scott. He had done this many times before and this was no different. "Jean...Jean can you hear me?"  
  
Jean simply groaned in pain as she squeezed her eyes in an attempt to make the pain go away. Scott then took her hand and began to gently calm her down.  
  
"It's going to be okay Jean...You can do this. Just calm down...And listen to my voice," said Scott softly.  
  
The other four teens watched anxiously as Scott kept trying to help the young redhead. They didn't do anything to startle them, for they knew that Scott was the only person who could help Jean Grey. They had a good idea why that was, but they didn't say anything. After a tense few minutes, Jean finally started to calm herself down and the whole group breathed a collective sigh of relief.  
  
The events of the day had tired them all out and all they could do was collapse to the ground and rest their tired bodies. Scott was still holding Jean's hand as her strange seizure finally past.   
  
'Thank you Scott...' said Jean through her thoughts as she rested her head against him.  
  
'Anytime Jean...Anytime,' responded the blind teen.  
  
As the hours past by and the police activity ceased, the group finally began to talk about what had happened just hours ago.  
  
"You know...Stopping those criminals back there...It kinda felt right," said Scott.  
  
"Yeah...It did," said Kurt in agreement. "Vhat do you think it means?"  
  
"I don't know...Maybe it means we just did the right thing," ventured Kitty.  
  
There was a brief pause between them.  
  
"I don't know if it means anything," said a dazed Rogue.  
  
"Well, meaning or not, I think it was right," said Jean, "I mean...Those guys would have probably gotten away if we hadn't done something."  
  
"I guess so," said Rogue in agreement.  
  
The rest of the group tired to take in this new information. They had never used their powers like that before. They had never been given the chance. Now, there was a new purpose in their lives. It felt strange...But it also felt right.  
  
"So what do we do now?" said Evan, "Form our own team of superheroes?"  
  
"Yeah right," said Rogue sarcastically, "What are we gonna call ourselves...Teenage mutant superbums?"  
  
The rest of the group couldn't help but laugh at that idea. There was still a lot of uncertainty about what had just happened. But there was no doubting it...This day was a turning point. They had discovered something unexpected and strange. It was scary and exciting at the same time. However, it did give them hope. It made them believe that maybe...They weren't so worthless after all.  
  
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Later that evening, the TV broadcasted the story of the big bank robbery all across the state.  
  
"Our top story tonight, a major bank robbery was stopped by unknown forces. Earlier today, five men armed with automatic weapons entered the First Bank of New York in downtown Bayville and robbed it of over $10 million in cash. The daring robbers then fled in large armored cars and made their escape. Over a dozen police cars pursued the two vehicles on a dangerous high-speed chase through the city. Several cars were forced off the road, but fortunately nobody was injured. The armored cars then made a daring getaway in the inner city area where the police nearly lost them. However, upon following them in to the narrow city roads, the police found the two armored cars completely wrecked near the highway overpass. Reports are still unclear, but it has been confirmed that nobody was hurt. The police have yet to determine the reason for the stoppage of these heavy-duty vehicles and witnesses have been giving very strange accounts. A local couple in the area speaks of being mysteriously transported out of harms way when the vehicle crashed and a young mother also talks of some mysterious force causing her to pass right through one of the cars as it was speeding towards her. Again, the police aren't saying much about such accounts, but a mysterious video from a local news chopper has recently surfaced clearly showing a strange red beam stopping one car and mysterious spikes from an unknown source stopping the other."  
  
The TV then showed a brief, obscured video of spike-like projectiles shattering the tires of the leading car and a bright red beam stopping the other.  
  
Not far from Bayville in Westchester County a mysterious man in a wheelchair watched the strange news report with great fascination. He was known as Professor Charles Xavier and the strange accounts of mysterious saviors both disturbed and intrigued him. Even though it was said the cause of the events was still being investigated, he had a feeling that he knew what it was. As the mysterious man continued to watch the story, a tall African woman with shining white hair entered the room.  
  
"I take it you've heard Charles," said the woman.  
  
"Yes...I have Ororo. And I think we may have to take our plans to the next level."  
  
"Are you sure we're ready?" asked Ororo.  
  
"I fear we don't have a choice now. If we don't act, then...He will."  
  
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AN: Well, that's it for now! What do you all think? PLEASE TELL ME! I NEED TO KNOW! Post your comments on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Stay tuned to the next chapter for the first encounter and the entrance of Magneto and Mystique! Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all.  
  
HEY! DID YOU REVIEW YET? NO? PLEASE DO IT NOW! 


	9. Enter Professor Xavier

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Chapter 8: Enter Professor Xavier  
  
AN: The ages are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 18 years old in this part and Kitty is 15 and Kurt is 16 and Evan is 14 and Rogue is 17.  
  
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Through the back-roads of upstate New York, a tall, burly-looking man sped along on his motorcycle. He didn't know his real name, but he had gone by many in the past. He had been called Weapon X, Wolverine, but most of the time he went by the name Logan. He had been riding for hours towards his destination, the newly formed Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. An old friend with urgent news had called him and now Logan was going to help. As he got closer to the institute, he made a quick pit stop at a local general store. He didn't get much, just a bottle of water. Then, a newspaper caught his eyes.  
  
MYSTERIOUS FORCES FOIL DARING BANK ROBBERY.  
  
There was a picture of a strange red beam of light slicing through a large armored car like it was nothing.  
  
"You gonna buy that?" asked the shopkeeper.  
  
"That's why I'm holding it bub," responded Logan as he walked over.  
  
After paying the shopkeeper opened the register, but soon after he heard a strange SNIKT noise. By the time he looked back up there was an empty glass bottle on the counter before him with the top sliced cleanly off.  
  
"Recycle that will ya?" said Logan as he left the store, leaving behind the befuddled shopkeeper.  
  
Before Logan got back on the road he read a little of the front page. It spoke of a mysterious incident that involved unknown forces stopping a daring heist. As he read some of the articles, Logan had a good feeling he knew what the professor wanted to talk to him about and why he sounded so urgent. He tucked the paper away on his bike and sped off once again.  
  
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As the late evening hours began to set in, Logan pulled up in front the gates to a large estate. Off to the side was a shining bronze plaque inscribed with the words 'Xavier Institute For Gifted Youngsters.' Then, the gates slowly opened, letting him in. No doubt the professor knew Logan had arrived. As he rode up to the front door an old, familiar face greeted him.  
  
"Welcome back old friend. It's good to see you again," said Professor Xavier.  
  
"Likewise Chuck," said Logan with a half-smile.  
  
"Come...We have much to discuss."  
  
Upon parking his bike in the garage, Logan made his way in through the large doors in to the mansion.  
  
"You've been busy Prof, place looks great. Bigger too," commented Logan.  
  
"Yes, it was quite a while in the making. Unfortunately, I've had to speed along in the formation of this institute over the last few months. I think it would be best if we started as soon as possible," said the Professor as he guided Logan through the halls towards his office.  
  
"Yeah, I take it you've been watching the news lately, huh?" said Logan.  
  
"Yes...Indeed I have."  
  
"Does it mean what I think it means?"  
  
There was a brief pause in the conversation. Logan could tell the professor was contemplating his response.  
  
"It's too early to tell Logan, but I feel it's definitely worth investigating," said the professor.  
  
As Logan followed Charles Xavier through the winding halls of the institute, he couldn't help but feel curious about the whole thing himself. The rest of the world didn't know the first thing about mutants, but he did. With some of the things he has seen in his long, eventful life it didn't take much imagination to consider that mutant activity was behind stopping that robbery.  
  
Soon, the professor had led Logan in to a large library with a strange looking computer located near the wall.  
  
"This that computer you told me about?" asked Logan as the professor began to work some of the programs.  
  
"Yes, this is Cerebro. It amplifies my psychic powers in order to locate carriers of the X-gene. It isn't at full power yet, but it can still function well enough to locate mutants within a limited range. Hopefully, whatever or whoever stopped that bank robbery hasn't left town just yet."  
  
"How fast do you think you can locate em?" said Logan as the professor put on a mysterious looking helmet with long wires leading in to several terminals on the strange-looking computer.  
  
"I'm not sure...I didn't expect to have to use it so soon. But we must find out before others with less honorable intentions do," replied Charles.  
  
Logan let out a slight grunt, for he knew whom the Professor was talking about. As the professor started his search he turned back towards Logan.  
  
"Why don't you get situated Logan? I left your room exactly as it was when you left."  
  
"After all these years...It's good to see some things haven't changed," replied Logan with a wolfish smile.  
  
Upon leaving the professor to his strange computer, Logan made his way down the halls of the great mansion towards the room he had left many years ago. He soon found out that the Professor wasn't lying; his room was still the same. He couldn't help but smiled slightly after returning to the old mansion that he left long ago. He was once a savage, confused, violent man until the professor helped him. Now he was going to do the same for a new generation of mutants like him. Soon, the scent of a familiar presence filled the air.  
  
"Welcome back Logan," said a feminine voice from behind him.  
  
Logan turned around and saw a tall, African woman with shining white hair standing in his doorway. It was his old friend Ororo Munroe, whom he hadn't seen since in years. She, like him, was also a mutant who had the power of weather control. Rain, sleet, snow, or lightning she could control them all. It was for those reasons she was once regarded as a goddess back in Africa; and for good reason. Here...She was known simply as Storm.  
  
"Ororo...It's been a while," replied Logan.  
  
"Indeed it has. Where have you been all this time?"  
  
"Around...About..." but that's all he was willing to say.  
  
Ororo gave him a warm smile glad to know he hadn't changed much in the last few years.  
  
"Well you must be hungry after it all. Care for something to eat?" said Ororo.  
  
"You bet!" said Logan with a wolfish grin.  
  
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As the hours of the night wore on, Logan and Ororo spent most of the time doing a lot of catching up. Like Logan, Ororo had once been dazed and confused by her strange abilities until Professor Xavier had helped her. Now they were both returning the favor in helping him carry out his long-time dream. For the last year Ororo had lived in the institute, helping the professor prepare for the eventual recruits that would soon fill the vast mansion. But as of now it appeared that they might have to deal with new recruits sooner than they anticipated.  
  
"So what do ya think of that whole bank robbery incident?" asked Logan as he opened up a can of soda.  
  
"I think it means we may be very busy soon. There aren't too many other explanations that make more sense," replied Storm.  
  
"You think they'll stumble on to us?"  
  
"No...I doubt they would accept an explanation as fantastic as mutants."  
  
"Sad but true," concluded Logan.  
  
"But if there is a mutant connection to this incident, I feel we must help those involved. No doubt they too are scared and confused just like we were," said Ororo.  
  
"And if we don't, you know who will."  
  
"Indeed..."  
  
Logan noticed a sudden change in her expression.  
  
"Somethin' bothering ya Ro?" asked Logan with a concerned tone.  
  
Ororo was silent for a moment. She remembered when she first saw those pictures in the news how she immediately thought of her nephew, Evan.  
  
"Ro?" said Logan trying to snap her out of her daze. "You all right?"  
  
She just sighed, "I can't help but wonder, Logan. I can't help but worry about my nephew."  
  
"Oh...You mean Evan?" replied Logan.  
  
When Logan first befriended Ororo, she had told him about her nephew Evan Daniels. He could tell they were very close. Even thought he never met the kid, Logan had learned a little about his harsh home-life. Ororo never went in to any real detail for the sake of her nephew's privacy, but he could tell that it was pretty bad.  
  
"I...Haven't heard from him in over a year Logan. I don't know where he is, I don't know if he's okay, or if..." she didn't finish, for it had become too hard to think about it.  
  
"You think he's a mutant?" asked Logan.  
  
"I don't know...I've suspected as much from when I last saw him, but I'm just not sure."  
  
"What about his mother?" asked Logan wearily.  
  
Ororo fought to control her emotions after that.  
  
"I...Called her. But every time I try to speak to her...She says she has no son...And she won't say anything more."  
  
Logan sighed, "She's still usin' isn't she?"  
  
Ororo simply nodded. Logan had known about the drug problems her sister had. They weren't the most pleasant things to think about, but it was the cold hard truth.  
  
"I wish I could do something for you Ro, but..."  
  
Suddenly, he was cut off by a voice in both of their heads.  
  
'Logan, Ororo...I need you in the library. Cerebro just picked something up.'  
  
They had to cut their conversation short as they rushed to the Professor, who was still on the computer like he had been for the last few hours.  
  
"What's up Chuck? What'd ya find?" asked Logan as he walked in.  
  
"I've been scanning over the area where the bank robbery took place. And I've been trying to trace the psychic signatures left behind...However there has been a lot of interference since I haven't been able to fully install all of the software," explained the Professor.  
  
"Did you find anything interesting?" asked Ororo.  
  
"Yes...There were definitely mutants in this area. The traces are definitely there. From the looks of it the sources haven't moved much."  
  
"How many?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but my best guess would be around five or six."  
  
"Can ya narrow it down to where they might be?" asked Logan.  
  
"I'm afraid that with the current software, I can only narrow it to within a 5-mile radius of where the vans were stopped yesterday."  
  
"Great...That leaves half of downtown Bayville," said Logan with a semi-exasperated tone. "Well, should we start looking?"  
  
"Yes, we should," said the Professor. "We must act fast before..."  
  
Suddenly, the professor paused, for he sensed something extra on Cerebro.  
  
"What is it Charles?" asked Ororo.  
  
"Now Cerebro's some strange magnetic interference," said Charles as he removed the helmet.  
  
"Magneto..." said Logan in a dark tone.  
  
But as soon as he spoke those words, the lights began to flicker in the room and the window on the adjacent wall was flung open by some unseen force. Soon, an ominous figure floated in through the large window. The figure was a tall, dark man with a mysterious helmet and cape. However, it wasn't too hard to realize the identity of the intruder for the three mutants. It was the master of magnetism himself, Eric Magnus Lensherr, a.k.a. Magneto.  
  
"Hello Charles," said Magneto.  
  
Logan immediately drew his claws and lunged forth at him, but he was stopped in mid-air and frozen in place. His adamantium skeleton had the misfortune of being magnetic.  
  
"Magnus, it's been awhile," said the professor, undaunted by his presence.  
  
"Indeed...I see you've been busy."  
  
"Yes, I could say the same for you. You've been gone for years, just to reemerge now. To what do I owe this visit to?" asked the professor as Storm guarded his side.  
  
Magneto didn't respond immediately. But it was obvious that he had planned this encounter.  
  
"You weren't lying when you spoke of opening your own school for mutants, were you?" The professor simply shook his head in response. "I always knew you as one to stay true to your word. However, I am a bit perplexed by your methods in handling the mutant phenomena."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked the professor as if he didn't already know.  
  
"We've known for years that this day would come old friend. We knew that it was only a matter of time before a new generation of people like us emerged. The time for evolution is near...Yet from what I see, you seek to impede it, rather than facilitate it."  
  
"What you call evolution, I call madness," responded the professor semi-harshly knowing what Magneto was getting at.  
  
"Charles I'm surprised at you. A man of such great intelligence and you have yet to remember the principle concept of survival. Only the strong will survive in this world Charles and mutants are more than just strong."  
  
"As much as I know you want to believe that Eric, you must realize that what you're getting at is nothing short of genocide. We once both dedicated our lives to helping mankind...But now it seems that you only seek to destroy it."  
  
"Mankind is sick, Charles. It has grown to become a rotting cesspool of hatred, intolerance, and bigotry. Believe me I have seen it first hand. I only hope to correct such barbaric behavior. That is why I believe that we must become allies, rather than enemies."  
  
"What are you getting at?" asked the professor curiously, for he was still unclear at his full intentions for this visit.  
  
"I have spent the last few years forming my own little club, Charles; The Brotherhood of Mutants. I have already recruited five promising young mutants including my own two children, Wanda and Pietro. I have been teaching, training, and preparing them for the future that awaits them. I have also recruited a fellow believer to help them...I'm sure you've met her before."  
  
Not long after those last words were said, a lone raven flew in through the window. Before it landed, however, it underwent a mysterious change. In less than a second, the bird transformed in to a full figured woman that looked all too familiar to Logan, Ororo, and the Professor. It was none other than the blue-skinned shape shifter, Mystique.  
  
"Mystique..." grunted Logan as she walked up to him.  
  
"It's good to see you too Wolverine," said the blue shape shifter with a snide expression.  
  
"Mystique has done so well in recruiting the Brotherhood and she isn't even a psychic," said Magneto.  
  
"Say what you will Magnus...I won't join you," replied the professor in defiance.  
  
The master of magnetism responded by flinging his wheelchair back against the bookcase as a show of force. Ororo immediately grew more defensive.  
  
"Then we have no choice but to fight. And rest assured, the Brotherhood will overcome whatever force you gather," said Mystique.  
  
Logan's anger only grew as he listened.  
  
"Bring it on..." grunted Logan as he eyed Mystique with a stern look.  
  
Magneto simply shook his head in somewhat of a mock-disappointment.  
  
"It's a shame Charles...We could have been quite a force. I'll leave you with a simple warning...Stay out of my way," said Magneto with an ominous tone.  
  
Then, Magneto floated out of the room and Mystique soon followed as she shifted back in to the form of a black raven. Wolverine then fell to the ground as his body was demagnetized.  
  
"So what do we do now?" said Logan as he got back up.  
  
The professor was silent for a brief moment. He feared that his old friend might do something like this. He knew that Magneto had far more severe views than he did. Now it seemed that this old friend would become one of the greatest enemies to his dreams of peace.  
  
"We must find those mutants before he does."  
  
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AN: Well, that's it for this part. Hope you all liked it! Stay tuned for the next chapter "First Contact." You can probably guess why it's called that! PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW! Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
WAIT! YOU KNOW THE DRILL, REVIEW! 


	10. First Contact

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Chapter 9: First Contact  
  
AN: The ages are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 18 years old in this part and Kitty is 15 and Kurt is 16 and Evan is 14 and Rogue is 17.  
  
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Upon Magneto's unscheduled visit, Logan immediately got on his bike and began the search for the source of the mutant signatures that the professor had detected. Storm and Charles did a search in the police and newspaper records, but it was the early hours of the morning and there weren't many people out. However, that did not stop them, for they knew they had to stay a step ahead of Magneto.  
  
"Chuck, did ya find anything?" asked Logan through his com-link as he rode down another inner city road.  
  
"No...I'm afraid the police know just about as much as we do. How about you?" replied the Professor.  
  
"Nothin' yet. You sure they're still in downtown Bayville?"  
  
"I'm almost certain they are. Cerebro's readings have not changed only now it has confirmed that they are still in the area, but I can't find their exact location just yet. I did manage to get some new software installed before we left and once it's up and running, I should be able to narrow the search even further."  
  
"Right, until then I'll keep at it. Wolverine out..."  
  
Logan then turned his attention back to the road as he turned down another road in search of the six mutants. He followed his powerful nose as he continued to search for any traces. However, he still wasn't getting anything. It was hard because he didn't even know exactly who he was looking for or what they may even smell like. But that didn't stop him, he just kept going.  
  
'They've gotta be around here somewhere...I just hope it's not too late.'  
  
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After the whole bank robbery thing took place; Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue were forced to change residence once again. The police and news reporters had scoured the area as well as private investigators. Everybody seemed very curious over what exactly stopped that heist. Now the group stayed in an old abandoned warehouse near the docks. It was definitely a step down from their last home, for it was far dirtier and the building was in a greater state of disrepair. However, they didn't have a choice so they had to make due with what was there. Luckily, there weren't many people very near that area; there was just a bunch of open space left from other demolished structures.   
  
Despite this bad change in housing, the six teens remained undaunted about what they did the other day. They still felt it was right, but the price was a bit more than any of them could have suspected. Currently, most of them were sleeping, but it proved to be difficult on the hard, dingy floor beneath them. In conjunctions with constant nightmares, sleep was definitely harder than ever now.  
  
It was dark hours of the early morning and most of the group managed to finally fall asleep, but Scott and Jean were the main exception. Unable to sleep, they both sat outside on the docks admiring the night sky while Scott gently strummed his guitar.  
  
"Well, this warehouse is definitely a step down from our old place," said Scott as he blindly stared up at the sky even though he couldn't see it.  
  
"We've lived in worse," replied Jean.  
  
"Yeah...That's for sure," admitted Scott in a sorrowful tone.  
  
"Do you think it'll get better?" asked Jean as she turned towards him.  
  
"We have to believe it will," said Scott hopefully even though it was mainly wishful thinking. "We can't give up hope. Not now...Not ever."  
  
"You're right...I just wish it wasn't so hard."  
  
"Me too...But there are some things we just can't change," said Scott with a deep sigh.  
  
A brief silence overcame them both as a cool wind blew across them. Jean moved closer to Scott for warmth and Scott did the same for her. He then began to play his guitar once again and the soft, gentle tune of the instrument helped provide the warmth they both needed.  
  
"You know Scott, even if things never do get better...I still have everything I need...Right here," said Jean as she managed a small smile.  
  
"Yeah...Me too," said Scott as he smiled back at her and continued to play music that helped sooth their troubled souls.  
  
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As the early morning rush hour kicked in, Logan was still coming up with absolutely nothing. The professor hadn't called back yet, so his search was still very broad. Now, he found himself searching another busy street in the business district of downtown Bayville. However, he still wasn't getting anything. Logan couldn't help but feel a little tired from searching for six hours straight. As strong a mutant as he was, he still had a human side to him even though he didn't like to show it. Still wanting to continue the search, he decided to grab himself a quick bite to eat. But as he made his way in to a small fast food joint near the corner, his acute hearing picked up a strange noise from the alley.  
  
As he turned a corner, he came upon somebody furiously going through a dumpster. Logan walked in to take a closer look and he realized that it was a young teenage girl. But before he could observe anything else, a door to the side flung open.  
  
"You again! Get out of there!" bellowed an oversized middle-aged man in a white apron.  
  
The girl immediate stopped digging through the dumpster and wearily turned towards the angry man with what appeared to be a half-eaten sandwich in her right hand.  
  
"So you must be the one who's been goin' through my garbage and scarin' off my customers!" said the man as he approached the girl.  
  
The girl grew very timid and frightened by the man's angry presence. Logan could smell her fear.  
  
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I just...I was hungry and I..." The girls stammered in her words. Logan also noticed a southern accent to her tone.  
  
"SO GET A JOB YOU WORTHESS WASTE OF FLESH!" bellowed the man in anger as he walked closer.  
  
Logan had seen enough.  
  
"HEY!" yelled the Canadian madman from the end of the alley. Both the girl and the man looked back towards the entrance of the alley to see Logan standing there, visibly angry about the situation. "Is there a problem here bub?"  
  
"Yeah there's a problem, 'bub.' This street trash has been goin' through my garbage for weeks now! And she's been hurtin' my business!" said the man in the apron, still angry.  
  
Logan slowly approached the man. He immediately felt intimidated by his strong presence and started to back away. The girl just watched in a paralyzed state of fear, for she didn't quite know what was going on. Logan kept walking towards the man without saying a word and the man kept stepping back until he was up against the wall. The man had grown visibly more scared by Logan's presence.  
  
"Look pal...I don't want any trouble," said the man as he fell under Logan's penetrating gaze.  
  
"Well, you should have thought of that before you went crazy over your precious garbage!" replied Logan. He then grabbed the fat man's coller and with unusual ease, he lifted him off the ground. "Now...Are you gonna leave this girl alone or not?"  
  
The man's fear grew as he looked in to Logan's eyes. Although he couldn't tell, Logan was itchin' to whip out his claws and teach this guy some manners, but the young girl was still there watching.  
  
"O...Okay," said the man.  
  
"Good, now apologize to the girl and get outta my sight, got that?" said Logan sternly.  
  
The man only nodded. "Sorry," said the man as he went back in through the door in the alley. Logan then turned towards the bewildered young girl who had seen the whole scene unfold before her.  
  
Logan then took notice of this girl's appearance. She was pale, very pale in fact. Her face was dirty and she had a strange white streak in her hair. Her clothes were old, ragged, and torn. She was also very thin, if not famished. It looked like she hadn't eaten in days. It was no wonder why she had been raiding a dumpster in the first place.  
  
"You okay kid?" asked Logan as he approached her in a more non-threatening way.  
  
"Yeah...Uh, thanks," replied the girl in a slightly monotone voice.  
  
She then started to walk away. Logan then saw her start to pick at the dirty, half-eaten burger that she had fished out of the trash. He almost lost his appetite watching her eat it, yet she didn't seem to have a problem with it. She was just too hungry to care. Logan felt his conscience nagging in the back of his head again, but he didn't fight it. He only sighed.  
  
"Kid wait..." said Logan as he stopped the girl.  
  
She turned around and looked back at him with a cautious look in her eye.  
  
"Don't eat that...It's filthy," said Logan.  
  
"I know...But I can't help it. I'm just too hungry," replied the girl.  
  
"Well then, at least let me buy you something decent."  
  
The girl looked back at him skeptically. Logan could tell she didn't trust him.  
  
"Why should I trust you?" she asked.  
  
"Hey...I just helped you out. I think I deserve a little faith on your part," replied Logan.  
  
Rogue was silent for a minute. She didn't know what to do. This stranger did help her with that man only moments ago.  
  
"But...Why?" asked Rogue, still weary about trusting this stranger.  
  
Logan just shrugged, "Maybe...I just want to, kid."  
  
Rogue briefly contemplated this man's words. She looked down at the moldy sandwich she was eating and listened to the growling in her stomach. The feeling of constant hunger was like a pain that no medicine could cure. Rogue was all too used to it and so were her friends, but they had always told her that any chance at getting a decent meal was something too good to pass up even if it was from a total stranger. Her friends had accepted meals like that before, so now it must be her turn.  
  
"Okay..." said Rogue with a sigh as she threw the sandwich back in the dumpster. "If you want to...I guess I do kinda need it."  
  
Logan only smiled back at her. "That's the spirit. Now come on, let's get you something decent."  
  
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Meanwhile back at the institute, Professor Xavier had finished installing some new, vital software that promised to narrow Logan's search. It wouldn't be at full power just yet, but it would be just enough in order to locate the six mutants they were searching for more accurately. The police and the local newspapers hadn't been that much of a help, so now the fate of six mutant teens lay in the hands of Cerebro. As he put on his special helmet, the Professor could only hope that he was not too late.  
  
"Can you find anything Charles?" asked Ororo as she watched the large computer make some strange noises.  
  
"Not yet...But I think I can..." then he stopped for some reason.  
  
He felt something...He felt someone. Not just one, but many. Immediately he knew that this is exactly what he was looking for.  
  
"Charles?"  
  
"I found them....I don't know their exact location, but I have a good idea where they may be. Prep the X-jet Ororo, we have to get to them."  
  
"What about Logan?" asked Ororo as she started to walk out the door and head towards the hanger.  
  
"I'll try and contact him. Hopefully, we're not too late."  
  
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Logan watched as the young girl that he had just helped devour her breakfast burger. He couldn't help but feel a little surprised, for she really did need it. Rogue couldn't help but feel grateful to this man for helping her when she really needed it. It was so rare that she and her friends came across such people, but then again this man didn't know of her strange 'abilities' so she didn't feel to optimistic about any further help from this man.  
  
"So...You got a name kid?" asked Logan as she finished her meal.  
  
"...Rogue," she said simply.  
  
"Rogue?" said Logan wondering if he heard her correctly.  
  
"Yeah...Rogue. What about you? Do you have a name?" asked Rogue as she finished up her last few bites.  
  
"It's Logan," he responded.  
  
"Well...Thanks again Logan."  
  
"Don't mention it," replied Logan with a half-hearted grin.  
  
There was an awkward silence between them as they sat outside a small restaurant.  
  
"So...Rogue, do you live anywhere around here?" asked Logan wearily, wondering if she would want to respond to this.  
  
"Yeah...Kinda," replied Rogue, not wanting to reveal much more.  
  
"Well what's a teenage girl doin' on the streets raiding garbage cans for food if you don't mind me asking?" said Logan out of general curiosity.  
  
"I...Really don't wanna talk about it," said Rogue in a monotone voice.  
  
Logan picked up on her sad tone. This girl definitely had more problems than previously thought. It was obvious just by looking in to her eyes.  
  
"Okay...Then I won't pry."  
  
Rogue felt relieved upon him saying that. She really didn't want to talk about her life struggles to a complete stranger.   
  
"Thanks...It's been nice meetin' you Logan, but I'd better get back," said Rogue as she got up.  
  
"To where?" asked Logan.  
  
"Just back to my friends," she said simply.  
  
"So you don't live alone?"  
  
"No, I stay with five other really nice people...So I don't live alone," replied Rogue as she started to walk away.  
  
Logan wanted to stop her, but he had a feeling she would refuse. He wanted to help her more, but he remembered his mission.  
  
"Well...It was nice meetin' you Rogue...Take care."  
  
"You too..."  
  
And with that she walked away and Logan got back on his bike. As he started back on his search, he got a sudden call from his com-link.  
  
"Logan...Logan are you there?" came a voice belonging to the Professor.  
  
"I'm here Chuck. Any news?"  
  
"Yes, Cerebro has narrowed down the search and confirmed the presence of six mutant signatures near your position."  
  
"Six?" said Logan in a surprised state. He had just remembered that Rogue had told him that she stayed with five other friends. That made a group of six.  
  
"Yes...Why do you ask?"  
  
"I'm goin' back on a lead. I think I may have found something."  
  
"You have?" said the professor with a hopeful tone.  
  
"Yeah, I'm goin' back on it now before it's too late," responded Logan as he made a sharp U-turn on his motorcycle.  
  
"Good, Storm and I will meet you in the area with the X-Jet. Be careful."  
  
"I got cha. Logan...Out."  
  
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AN: Well, what do you think will happen next? I'm not giving any hint this time! So you'll just have to stay tuned. Don't forget to REVIEW! POST THEM AT FANFICTION.NET OR SEND THEM TO ME AT SLICKBOY444@AOL.COM! Thanks for reading and best wishes to all of you!  
  
WAIT! REVIEW BEFORE YOU LEAVE! 


	11. Choosing Sides

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
  
Chapter 10: Choosing Sides  
  
AN: The ages are as follows: Scott and Jean are both 18 years old in this part and Kitty is 15 and Kurt is 16 and Evan is 14 and Rogue is 17.  
  
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With his powerful nose, Logan sniffed the air for traces of the young girl he had encountered earlier known as Rogue. He suspected that there was more to her than meets the eye. She looked different on the outside, but she may be even more complex than that. It was now a race against time to find her and her friends before Magneto could.  
  
His nose led him towards the docks through an area that was riddled with abandoned buildings. As he rode by he passed numerous shady characters that didn't look too friendly. Logan couldn't help but wonder if this is the way the girl had come. If it was, how could she have defended herself? He remembered how weak she looked when he saw her; she was just skin and bones and very pale. That only made Logan work faster towards finding her and her friends.  
  
"I'm gettin' close," he told himself as he sniffed the air again. "I hope I'm not too late."  
  
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Meanwhile, at a large clearing at the other end of the docks, six mysterious metallic orbs floated down from the sky. As they touched down gently on the ground, each one of them opened to reveal a presence within and they all stepped out.  
  
The first to step out was a small, greasy-haired teenage boy with pale skin. He was known as Todd "Toad" Tolensky. The second was tall, dark-haired boy with a gray outfit and strange helmet. He went by the name Lance Alvers, but he also called himself "Avalanche." The third one was a huge, oversized boy with a mohawk hair-style who went by the name Freddy Dukes, but also called him self "Blob." The fourth was a tall, thin boy with white hair similar to Magneto's and wore a green and silver outfit. He was Pietro Maximoff, a.k.a "Quicksilver." The next one to step out was a girl with strange, goth-like clothing and short black hair. She was Pietro's twin sister Wanda Maximoff, but she also went by "The Scarlet Witch." Last but not least, Mystique stepped out and took a commanding presence before the five other young teens.  
  
"Fan out...Magneto says there are six mutants here and Xaiver is after them," she commanded.  
  
"Any idea what they look like?" asked Lance.  
  
"No...But we must find them before Xavier does. So we all have to act fast," replied Mystique.  
  
"Lady, fast is my middle name!" boasted Pietro as he ran off at super-human speeds.  
  
The others soon followed as they began to search the docks for the six unsuspecting mutants.  
  
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As Rogue walked in to the warehouse where she and the rest of her friends were staying, she couldn't help but have the feeling that she was being watched. However, she didn't think that much of it, for she had always had that feeling for as long as she had been on the streets. Over time she had grown used to it. Rogue made her way though the dark, dingy corridors towards the main area where she and the rest of the group slept. As she entered she met up with her friends. Kurt and Kitty were reading some books under a dim light, Evan was practicing skateboarding tricks on the other side of the room, Jean was going through some boxes, and Scott was strumming his guitar.  
  
"Did you find anything?" asked Kurt as he looked up from his book.  
  
"Yeah...I'm okay now," said Rogue as she took a seat near him and Kitty.  
  
"That's good, vant a book or something?"  
  
"No thanks, I'm fine," said Rogue as she rested against a large crate.  
  
Kurt then went back to reading. Books were pretty much the only source of entertainment for the six teens, even for the blind Scott who often had Jean read to him because of his handicap. The building had luckily yielded some old books from unopened crates. Books had always helped them forget about the daily drudgery that was their lives and it was a welcomed escape. It had also kept their minds sharp so at least nobody could call them stupid...Well sometimes that didn't always stop those kind of remarks.  
  
"Find anything Jean?" asked Scott as he stopped playing his guitar.  
  
"Not much...Just some old magazines," replied Jean as she set the stack of magazines down beside her.  
  
"Well, it's better than nothing," said Scott as he set his guitar aside.  
  
Jean then took a seat near him and began looking through the outdated magazines. She also read some of the articles aloud to Scott and described some pictures as well. Even though he couldn't see them, Jean's description helped him picture it. It had been years since Scott had actually read anything, but with Jean's help he could still enjoy it.  
  
For what seemed like an hour, the six teens just sat around in silence. With the exception of Evan's skateboard and Jean reading aloud to Scott, it was pretty calm. Suddenly, Scott heard something echo from the halls.  
  
"What is it Scott?" asked Jean as she set her magazine to the side.  
  
"I thought I just heard something...There! Did you hear it?"  
  
The rest of the group tried to listen, but they knew Scott had vastly better hearing so there was only silence at first. But after a few seconds, they began to hear it too.  
  
"What is it?" said Kitty as she listened to the sound.  
  
"I don't know...But let's check it out," said Evan as he led the way.  
  
Jean took Scott's hand and guided him along with the rest of the group. Slowly, the six teens made their way down the corridors where the sound had originated. They couldn't see anybody, but they did have a strange feeling that they were being watched. Anxiety grew as the group made their way towards the opposite hall near the entrance to the building. They still couldn't see anything, but they kept looking. Suddenly, Scott sensed a presence near. His head turned towards the side in to a dark area. He stopped and soon the rest of his friends turned in the direction he was facing. Then, a man walked out of the shadows and in to the light.  
  
"Who's there!?" demanded Evan as his arms became lined with spikes.  
  
"Whoa, easy there kid. I come in peace," said a gruff voice that Rogue immediately recognized.  
  
"Logan?!" said Rogue in surprise as she saw the tall, burly looking man come in to view.  
  
"Wait...You know this guy?" said Evan, still weary of this mysterious intruder.  
  
Rogue slowly approached Logan.  
  
"Yeah...He helped me earlier. He fought off this mean old man who was harassing me and helped me get some food," explained Rogue.  
  
The rest of the group then seemed to calm down by this revelation. Logan breathed a sigh of relief as he realized he hadn't been too late in finding them. He also took notice in their appearance as well. He tried to hide his looks of shock and surprise at the sight of these six young teenagers that looked like starving famine victims from a third-world country. He had expected to find mutants, but he never expected to find something like this.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Scott.  
  
Logan took a deep breath, "The name's Logan. I'm here to help."  
  
"Yeah, like we haven't heard that before," commented Evan who still didn't trust this intruder.  
  
"What do ya mean?" asked Logan in response.  
  
"Listen pal, we've encountered people like you before. They've always said things like 'we can help you' or 'come with us.' But it always comes back to bite us in the ass," explained Evan, referring to the numerous homeless shelters and social services that tried to help them but always ended up throwing them back out on the streets.  
  
"Well aren't we a little pessimist," said Logan.  
  
"Maybe so...But he is right," said Kitty who didn't like to remember such things.  
  
Logan briefly contemplated their words. This was definitely going to be harder than he had imagined. As he looked back at the group before him he could sense their despair. He didn't know what had happened to them that would cause them to refuse help from anybody, but it must not have been very pleasant.  
  
"Look, I don't expect you guys to trust me, but at least hear me out," said Logan. Nobody said anything in response, so Logan just continued. "I represent a school, The Xavier Institute For Gifted Youngsters."  
  
"Gifted youngsters?" asked Rogue.  
  
"Yeah gifted, but in more ways than one. You see the institute is a home, a haven for people born different; people with special abilities that not many others have. I'm guessin' you all may have some idea what I'm talking about."  
  
This immediately intrigued the young group, for they knew all about special abilities. They all had struggled with them for years, trying to understand what they were and why they had them. Now, Logan had their full attention.  
  
"So, this is a school for people like us?" asked Kurt.  
  
"Bingo kid," replied Logan.  
  
The six mutant teens struggled to process some of this information. It was all such a shock, for they had never expected this much from a world that had treated them so harshly.  
  
"So, you're basically a recruiter?" said Scott.  
  
"Yeah, you could say that, but I'm more of a teacher," replied Logan.  
  
"And you want to recruit us?" continued Scott.  
  
"That's why I followed you here bub," said Logan.  
  
A strange feeling overcame the group upon hearing Logan's words. It was like a small glimmer of hope that appeared out of nowhere. It was just so unexpected; it had rendered them all speechless.  
  
"Look, I don't expect you all to just up and join. I think you should at least think about it, but in the meantime why don't you come with me and see the place for yourself?" asked Logan.  
  
The rest of the group was still contemplating on what to do. Logan hoped they would all jump at the chance to live somewhere else other than a crappy run-down warehouse on the docks, but these were truly broken kids. The world had taken everything away from them and putting their trust in a complete stranger who promised them a home was a bit much for them.  
  
"But...Why us? What makes you think we can fit in at a school like that with others?" asked Rogue.  
  
"First of all, you'll all be the first ones there. Second, I think you all will fit in just fine there. From what I've seen so far with the bank robbery, I think you'll fit in just fine with the ideals of the institute. Besides, haven't you guys ever wanted somewhere to belong?"  
  
The six teens were taken aback. It was like a godsend or something, almost too good to be true. They all looked around at each other, contemplating their response.  
  
Suddenly, before they could speak, a mysterious rumbling began to shake the ground beneath them. The shaking got worse and they could feel the rickety old building strain under the pressure.  
  
Logan sniffed the air and immediately grunted. There were six other unannounced guests, but he recognized one of them...Mystique.  
  
"COME ON! We have to get out of here," bellowed Logan.  
  
Unwilling to stick around the rest of the group made a mad dash towards the exit. But debris started to block their way as they got closer. Kitty helped phase everybody through them and Kurt helped the others port out. As soon as they stepped out in to the late morning sun, they were immediately greeted by seven ominous figures. Logan immediately drew his claws in anticipation, much to the surprise of the six mutants behind him.  
  
"Mystique...Why am I not surprised?" grunted Logan as he approached them.  
  
"By now, you should know me well enough to expect the unexpected Wolverine," replied Mystique as she shot Logan a death glare.  
  
The Brotherhood of Mutants stepped forth towards their new opponents. They were slightly shocked at the sight of the six teenagers behind Logan. They definitely weren't what they had expected.  
  
"Whoa, and you guys say I'm dirty," said Toad.  
  
"This is going to be too easy," boasted Lance as he stepped forward with the rest of the Brotherhood.  
  
"Hold it!" yelled Scott, "Who are you guys? What do you want?"  
  
"Why...We just want to save you from badger boy there," said Mystique.  
  
"Save us?" said Jean in a perplexed tone.  
  
"You think what he's offering is a safe haven? Well I'm afraid you all are sadly mistaken. If you go with Xavier, I can assure you all that you won't last very long. I know what he believes in."  
  
"You're cruisin' for a bruisin' Mystique!" bellowed Logan as he lunged forth at her, but suddenly he was stopped cold in his tracks.  
  
The group saw the strange girl, Wanda, use some unseen force to stop Logan. Her eyes were glowing blue and soon Logan was engulfed in a strange haze and forced to the ground.  
  
"There now, you see. Xavier lives in a fool's world. He believes that people like us can coexist peacefully with the rest of humanity. He doesn't realize that there's a war coming between humans and us. But I'm here to tell you all that I know that's a lie! And from looking at the rest of you, I can tell you know all too well what I'm talking about," said Mystique as she spoke to the six bewildered teens.  
  
This was a strange situation for Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue. Logan had approached them peacefully and had helped them before they even knew they were different. Yet they couldn't deny some of the truth in what Mystique was saying. They did know all too well how the rest of the world had treated them and it had caused unparalleled suffering on their part. But there was just something about this blue-skinned woman that didn't seem sincere. The six teens were left at an impasse, for they truly didn't know whom to believe.  
  
"So what's your allegiance? Xavier, or us...The Brotherhood of Mutants," said Mystique. "Who's side will you be on...When the war begins."  
  
"Don't listen to her!" yelled Logan who was still under the influence of Wanda's hex bolts. "It's a trap!"  
  
Scott Summers then stepped forth, hoping that the rest of his friends would follow his lead. At first they hesitated, but they followed their friend anyhow. To him, the mention of the word 'war' did it. He and the rest of his friends knew all too well what 'war' led to. In the minds of each teen, images of the heinous fighting that they had faced on the streets and in their old homes returned to haunt them. Scott remembered his violent foster home, Jean remembered her drunken father, Kurt remembered his Aunt Grendle, Kitty remembered her cruel father, Rogue remembered her abusive foster home, and Evan remembered his drug ridden parents. Upon realizing this, their choice became clear.  
  
"So...Mystique, huh?" said Scott who seemed unafraid of the Brotherhood. "You want us to choose between war and peace? Some choice."  
  
Then Scott proceeded to remove his blindfold and show this 'Brotherhood' his powers. He let forth a huge optic blast that sent Wanda flying and freed Wolverine in the process.  
  
"You'll regret doing that kid!" yelled Mystique, "If you're not with us...You're against us! BROTHERHOOD ATTACK!"  
  
Within moments of that order, the four other mutants charged the others while Mystique took on Wolverine. Despite being outnumbered, the Brotherhood did have a sizeable advantage over the famished, mal-nourished teens.  
  
Toad was the first to attack. With his powerful legs he leaped forth at the skinny redhead, Jean Grey. He was within only a few feet of making contact before he found himself stopped in mid flight. Jean's powers had just gone on the defensive.  
  
"What the?! AHHHHHHHHHH!" said Toad as he struggled to get free and was flung away screaming like a little girl.  
  
Pietro had taken on Evan as he used his super-speed to run circles around the young teen. Soon, a cyclone was whipped up and Evan struggled to stay on his feet.  
  
"You're out of your league Porcupine!" said Pietro as the cyclone grew more intense.  
  
"Wanna bet..." said Evan as he lined his arms with spikes.  
  
Then, through the wind, he launched several bony projectiles in to the ground in to the speed-demon's path. Unable to avoid them, Pietro tripped and was sent flying due to the momentum of his speed.  
  
Meanwhile, Lance had approached the seemingly harmless Kitty Pryde in full confidence. Kitty, who did feel a bit intimidated by this boy, tried to stand firm.  
  
"Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a girl!" said Lance as he rolled his eyes in the back of his head and began to concentrate.  
  
Then, the ground began to shake violently underneath Kitty's feet. She realized that this must have been the force that bought down the warehouse. A large crack in the pavement formed under her and before she could get out of the way she stumbled and fell.  
  
"AHHHHH!" yelled the hapless young girl as she dropped out of sight.  
  
The shaking soon stopped and Lance stood with a cocky grin.  
  
"Man, that was easy."  
  
But he didn't realize a figure rising up out of the solid pavement behind him. Sensing the presence he turned around and met face to face with a very angry Kitty.  
  
"Think again!" said Kitty as she kneed him as hard as she could in the groin.  
  
With a twisted face of pain, Lance keeled down on to the ground.  
  
This left Blob the only one left as he let out an angry howl and charged Scott like a bull. Scott responded by opening his eyes and sending an optic blast directly at him. However this only slowed the immense mutant as he kept charging.  
  
"HA! You think a puny little laser like that can stop me?! I'm the Blob! Nothing stops me!" bellowed Freddy as he continued towards him.  
  
Scott felt the pressure in his head grow larger, but he soon shut his eyes not wanting to unleash any more power than he already had. Freddy kept coming, but a few feet from impact Scott heard Kurt appear right beside him and port him out of harms way just before the Blob could reach him. Instead, he ended up pummeling in to the wall of the warehouse that had been behind Scott.  
  
For the moment it seemed as if they had beat the last one, but then Scott felt his eyes fling open by some unseen force. Kurt ported out of the way in panic, but Scott couldn't close his eyes. Wanda had returned and she appeared to be very angry with the boy after he blasted her earlier.  
  
"You think you can get away with blasting me!?" yelled the angry Scarlet Witch as she intensified her powers against the young mutant.  
  
Scott struggled to control his blasts, but they were being sent in all directions towards his friends. With all his might he tried to stop it, but Wanda's powers proved very strong.   
  
"Now, I will crush you!" said the angry girl as she prepared to unleash his power against his friends, but then something unexpected happened.  
  
Kurt had teleported right behind her and jumped on her back and covered her eyes.  
  
"Guess who?" said Kurt as she started to struggle against him.  
  
"Get off me furball!" yelled Wanda as she started to loose her concentration.  
  
After a good minute worth of fighting off the acrobatic mutant, Wanda managed to knock him off. She then focused her anger on Kurt as she prepared another round of hex bolts.  
  
"Now you're going to pay!" she yelled.  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" said Kurt as he saw something out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Wanda looked over only to be blasted once again by Scott's beams and was sent flying. Afterwards, Jean came running to Scott's side and handed him his blindfold.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Jean.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Jean," replied Scott with small smile as he put his blindfold back on.  
  
Mystique and Wolverine had been fighting furiously since the attack began, but it was a bitter stalemate. Mystique couldn't take down Logan's strength and Logan could get a hand on her because of her agility. Upon, seeing the defeat of her students, Logan grew a bit more confident.  
  
"Heh, some Brotherhood Mystique," said Logan as he dodged another one of her kicks.  
  
"SHUT UP!" yelled the shape-shifter as she launched another barrage of attacks.  
  
However, Logan was ready for her this time. In a split second, Mystique let her guard down and Logan was able to make his move and send her flying with a single, well-placed punch.  
  
"It's over Mystique...You lost," said Logan.  
  
"No...It's just begun."  
  
But just then she realized a presence had sneaked up behind her. She quickly turned around to see Rogue standing only inches from her.  
  
"Wrong lady...Sleep tight," said Rogue as she grabbed on to her bare skin with her hand and knocking her out cold.  
  
The rest of the Brotherhood watched as Mystique fell to the ground and were soon consumed with a new rage.  
  
"NOBODY DEFATS THE BROTHERHOOD!" yelled Blob as he and the rest of his comrades joined for another attack.  
  
Just then a mysterious dark cloud appeared overhead and a strong gust of wind seemed to focus itself on the Brotherhood. At first it didn't seem to slow them down, but it soon got stronger and it grew too hard to stay on their feet. The six teens looked up in confusion, but Logan had a look of relief on his face. A large, mysterious plane hovered overhead and they watched as a mysterious lady with white hair fly down towards them. Soon, a large tornado formed before their eyes and blew the Brotherhood away.  
  
"This isn't the end..." said Mystique as the wind awoke her from her unconscious state. As they flew away, six metal orbs flew near and picked up each of them. Then, they were out of sight.  
  
Evan couldn't believe his eyes when he got a closer look at the mysterious woman that appeared to be the cause of the storm. As she floated down, her expression changed to one of equal shock.  
  
"Aunty O?!" said Evan in amazement.  
  
"Oh my God...Evan!" exclaimed Ororo as she landed.  
  
Evan ran towards her and threw his arms around the one person he had missed so much for so long. His embrace was a weak one, but Ororo couldn't help fight back her tears of happiness for finding her long lost nephew. She looked down and saw how much he had changed since the last time she saw him. He looked so much thinner than before and appeared dirty, tired, and mal-nourished. To Evan his Aunt was like an angel that had finally found him after so long of time.  
  
"Where have you been? Wha...What happened to you?" said Ororo as she let him go.  
  
"It's a long story, but that doesn't matter anymore," said Evan with a smile.  
  
The rest of his friends couldn't help but be happy for their friend. Evan had always told them about his Aunt and how kind and caring she was. But he never told them that she was also 'gifted' like they were.  
  
"So this is the Aunt you told us about Evan?" said Scott as he stepped forward to greet her.  
  
"Yep!" said Evan proudly.  
  
"Well let me be the first to say...Thanks," said Scott with a smile.  
  
Ororo smiled back, even though he was blind. But she had a feeling he could somehow see them.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Evan then felt an introduction was in order.  
  
"Aunty O...I'd like you to meet my friends. They're the reason I'm still alive after all this time," said Evan with all honesty in his words.  
  
"It's nice to meet you all. And it's nice to know my nephew wasn't alone when I wasn't there," said Ororo.  
  
The rest of the teens smiled back at the white-haired woman, humbled by her thanks.  
  
"You're timing is impeccable Ro," said Logan as he stepped forth.  
  
"Well, it looked like you needed help."  
  
"Wait...You two know each other?" asked Evan curiously.  
  
"Yep, she teaches at the institute as well," explained Logan.  
  
A brief hint of understanding came over Evan upon this new knowledge.  
  
"So that's where you've been all this time..." said Evan.  
  
"Yes, an awful lot has happened. But I'm here now, and Logan and I both intend to help you all," replied Storm.  
  
Before they could respond, the mysterious plane that had been hovering above landed in a short distance from them. The six teens were struck with awe upon seeing this marvelous machine, for it looked like something truly out of this world. As it landed and the dust settled, a door on the side opened and a ramp led down to the ground below. And out came a man in a wheelchair. He didn't look threatening at all to them, in fact. It only made the six teens all the more eager to know more about what was going on.  
  
"You've done a fine job Logan...You too Ororo," said the man as he wheeled himself up towards the group.  
  
"Thank you Charles," said Storm in response.  
  
"Wait...Who are you?" asked Scott upon hearing this new voice.  
  
"My name is Professor Charles Xavier, the founder and headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. And I've been looking for you all for the past few days," said the Professor in his most non-threatening tone.  
  
"But...How did you find us? And why now?" asked Jean.  
  
The professor took a deep breath, for he knew this was going to a lot for them to handle. "Like you all, I was born different. I found out that at a young age, I could read people's thoughts and control minds to a certain extent. As I got older I identified the cause of this ability. I found out that these gifts were caused by a rare genetic anomaly known as the X-gene." The six teens grew more interested the more he talked. Out of nowhere, this stranger was answering questions that they had been struggling with for years. The professor continued to talk, "For most people, this gene is never formed...But there are some exceptions."  
  
"Let me guess...Ve're the exception," said Kurt.  
  
"Indeed," said the professor, "You all are the beginning of a new generation of people like us. You are all the start of an exciting new stage in human evolution. You all are mutants...You all are the future."  
  
"Mutants..." said Rogue in astonishment as a long time question that had tormented her had finally been explained.  
  
"Yes...While I believe that this is a tremendous benefit for mankind, there are some people who would think otherwise."  
  
"You must mean the Brotherhood," said Scott who still had a fresh memory of the fight that had just taken place.  
  
"Yes, the Brotherhood and its founders don't share the same respect for mankind as I do. I believe in the peaceful co-existence of mutants and non-mutants, but they would argue a far more 'aggressive' position," replied the professor.  
  
What the professor was saying was a great deal of new information that had bewildered the six mutant teens to no end. This strange revelation made them feel excited and anxious at the same time.  
  
"So, why'd you come to us first?" asked Scott.  
  
"Well...I heard about that whole bank robbery incident along with the rest of the country, and I had a feeling I knew what might have caused it. And from what I just saw with you and the Brotherhood, I can tell that my suspicions were justified," replied the Professor.  
  
The rest of the group couldn't help but smile and blush a little upon hearing that.  
  
"Guess we couldn't hide forever," replied Scott.  
  
"Well that brings me to why I'm here. As Logan may have told you, my institute is for people like you who have no safe haven in a world that doesn't even know you exist. I don't believe that mutants should have to hide in the shadows like you do...Suffering because of the fear the rest of the world has over something they don't yet understand. You don't have to hide...You don't have to live like this...You could all have a home."  
  
'Home...' that one word bought forth a whole mess of emotions to each of the six teens. Every one of them had come from a terrible background. Every one of them came from a broken home. It had been so long since they had experienced something as simple as a place to call home. Instead all they knew was suffering, but now they actually had a chance to change all of that. However, it was still a lot to deal with...It seemed almost too good to be true. Should they take a chance? What else did they have to loose?  
  
Scott was the first to step forward, "So...You say you can help us? You say we don't have to live like this? Well, I don't know about the rest of you guys...But you have me on board."  
  
Jean soon followed never one to ever leave Scott's side, "Yeah...I'm in too. Anything's better than living on the streets."  
  
"Count me in too," said Kurt as he stepped forth as well.  
  
"Yeah...Me three," said Kitty as she stepped up next to her fuzzy friend.  
  
Evan, who was still by his Aunt's side, spoke up too, "If you guys join...So do I."  
  
That left Rogue, who had been quiet the whole time. Everybody looked back at her, wondering what she would do.  
  
"Vell Rogue...Vhat do you think?" asked Kurt.  
  
She was silent for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then, she turned to Logan who couldn't help but smile at her. Finally, she stepped forward.  
  
"I guess anything is better than living like this...I'm in too," said Rogue to her only friends as they smiled back at her.  
  
Logan couldn't help but smile more.  
  
"Then welcome...To the Xavier Institute," said the Professor as he led them on to the plane and home towards a new life.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
AN: Well that's it for now! What do you all think? Sorry for the length of this chapter, but I couldn't get around it. It's not over yet, so don't fret! This is going to be a long story so sit tight! I STILL NEED REVIEWS! Post em on fanfiction.net or send em to slickboy444@aol.com. Thanks for reading thus far and best wishes to you all!  
  
YOU KNOW THE DRILL! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! 


	12. New Surroundings

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 11: New Surroundings**

* * *

AN: I would like to send a special thanks to everybody who has reviewed this story thus far. It really means a lot to me to know how you all feel about my writing. Please continue to review as this story progresses and hopefully I can make it the best it can possibly be. Thank you and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, Kitty Pryde, Evan Daniels, and Rogue all wearily boarded the strange plane that was to take them to their new home. They couldn't help but be amazed by the grand presence of the XR-77 Blackbird. It looked like something straight out of science fiction, but they boarded the plane nevertheless. However, Scott was more reluctant to get on then anybody else. Knowing that there was a plane before him, images of the terrible accident that killed his family came surging back thorough his mind. The professor looked back at the blind teen and saw him grow incredibly pale. He was about to say something when Jean approached him.

"Scott? Are you okay?" asked Jean knowing his fear of plane's all too well and sensing his growing anxiety.

"I...I don't know," responded Scott.

The rest of his friends were already on the plane, but they had their concerns about him as well.

"Don't worry Scott...It will be okay," reassured Jean.

Slowly, she took his hand in hers and immediately felt his anxiety wane. Scott took a deep breath and made his way on to the plane and took a seat next to Jean. She still held on to his hand, hoping it would keep him calm.

"Are you okay to fly Scott?" asked the Professor. "If you want, you could go by other means."

Scott briefly contemplated this before responding.

"No...It's okay Professor," assured Scott, "I guess I can't keep from flying forever."

"Are you sure?" asked Xavier.

Scott then gave Jean's hand a gentle squeeze causing her to smile ever so slightly.

"Positive."

The Professor only smiled back at him reassuringly as he wheeled himself in to the cockpit with Logan and Storm and prepared for takeoff. The rest of the group only sat in silence, for this whole thing was a lot to take in and anxiety was visibly present in each of them. As the plane took off vertically and sped off in to the midday sky, the Professor and his two associates couldn't help but look back at them with concern. Logan could relate, for he had been in World War II and these teens looked like concentration camp victims to him.

'Quite a spirited bunch aren't they Chuck?' commented Logan through his thoughts.

'Yes...They seem almost...Lost in a sense,' added Ororo.

The professor shared their views in finding these six mysterious young people. He knew from the start that he wouldn't be dealing with normal kids, but he never could have anticipated finding children living in such a deplorable state of existence. Living in an abandoned warehouse was definitely a harsh place for anybody to survive, but being both mere children and mutants could only make such a life worse. The professor sighed, for he knew he had a long road ahead of him.

'I sense your fears my friends...But we must have faith in them above all else. From the looks of it, they haven't had a lot of good things in their lives. That is why we must be the ones to help them, for they are the future.'

'That's quite a lot of pressure to be putting on them Charles,' responded Ororo.

'I know, but I sense that there is hope for them. Otherwise they wouldn't have chosen us so willingly. Like everyone, they deserve a chance at a decent life...And if we don't help provide it, who will?'

The Professor's thoughts projected in to his two weary teachers with confidence. They weren't psychic, so they couldn't argue with what he knew because they couldn't sense what he could. Although the six young teens' minds were a jumbled mess from years of pain and suffering, the Professor was forced to pick up some of their psychic projections. They were not at all pleasant...In fact, giving their circumstances; their disposition was quite remarkable. He still didn't want to invade their privacy, but there were some things he just couldn't avoid sensing.

As the six teens watched the land below them zoom by, they couldn't help but look in awe. For many, except Kurt and Scott, this was the first time they had been on a plane. Jean sometimes would quietly describe the scenery to Scott as best she could so he could at least picture it. Through the whole flight, Scott held on to Jean's hand and Kurt held on to Kitty's for no other reasons then for comfort. Logan looked back at Rogue and smiled, which helped to calm her down a bit. She was still in shock on how much things had changed since meeting the strange Canadian man that saved back in that alley. Maybe there was hope for them after all.

Soon, the Xavier mansion came in to view.

"Whoa...This is a school?" said Kurt in amazement.

"Yeah, it looks like a mansion!" said Evan.

"Actually, it is a mansion," said Logan as he swung the jet around the back and towards the cliff entrance.

He watched the shocked looks on their young faces with amusement.

"I think they're going to like it Ro," said Logan to Storm as the young teens took in the sight.

"So it seems," replied Storm with a grin.

The jet soon came to a stop and the engines were then powered down.

"Well, last stop kiddies. Welcome to yer new home!" said Logan with a wolfish grin.

Slowly, they made their way off the plane and in to the large hanger. They looked around in amazement at their new surroundings, for it was unlike anything they had ever expected.

"What's it look like Jean?" asked Scott who somehow sensed the strange aura of this new place.

"It's...Amazing," said Jean at a loss for words.

As the Professor wheeled himself out of the plane, he smiled at their wonder of the institute. It was definitely a good sign.

"It seems we have a lot to show you all," said the Professor, "Ororo, why don't you give our new students a tour?"

"Very well...Come on everyone!" called Ororo.

They all eagerly followed, wanting to see more of their new home. While they began to see the institute, Logan and the Professor stayed behind.

"Well, what do ya think Chuck? Ya think they're X-men material?" asked Logan as they made their way up to the main floors.

"They definitely have real potential Logan...But for now we must focus getting them adjusted to such a dramatic change in lifestyle," replied Charles.

"Did ya sense anything during the plane trip that might help us?"

Professor Xavier paused for a moment. He knew what he sensed, but the details were almost too hard for him to repeat. The thoughts that these six young teens had projected were anything but pleasant. It would only make their jobs more difficult.

"I did sense some things old friend...More then I wanted to sense, but that's the price of having telepathy."

"That bad huh?" said Logan, knowing what he was trying to say.

"It's probably far worse. However...I feel it's too early to tell what effects these thoughts and feelings will have on them."

* * *

As Ororo finished the tour of the institute for the new recruits, she grew slightly more optimistic. They all seemed very willing to embrace this new home and follow the Professor. She was also overjoyed at the presence of her long lost nephew Evan, who stuck close by her side the whole time. It helped put some of her fears to rest, but at the same time it also arose new ones. Why Evan was forced to live such a terrible existence was beyond her. And why his mother, her own sister, no longer admits to even having a son was even more baffling. However, she tried not to think of that now. She just wanted to live in the present and from the looks of it, so did Evan.

Upon finishing the tour, Ororo guided each of them to their new rooms. Scott and Jean got rooms right next to each other for obvious reasons, Kurt and Kitty got rooms in a similar respect, Evan got a room that was closest to Ororo's, and Rogue chose the room closest to Logan's.

"And this will be your room Evan," said Ororo as she showed him his new room.

"Man...This is huge!" said Evan with great enthusiasm as walked around his new dwelling. "Hell my old room could probably fit in the closet."

"Well...I'm glad you like it," said Storm as she watched his enthusiasm with a smile.

"Like it...I love it Aunty O!" exclaimed Evan as he sat on the soft bed.

Ororo walked over to him and sat beside him. This was quite possibly the happiest she had ever seen him. This time his parents weren't there to complicate things and they could focus on the present.

"It's good to have you back Evan," said Ororo to her nephew.

"It's good to be back. I can't tell how long I've been searching for you...Hoping that you haven't forgotten about me," replied Evan.

"Evan...I never forgot about you. And I can't tell you how sorry I am for not being there when you needed me the most," said Ororo solemnly, still not completely forgiving herself.

"Hey, don't worry about it," assured Evan, "It was out of both of our hands."

"It still doesn't feel justified...That I let you suffer like that."

"Hey, don't ever say that..." said Evan in response. "If anything it was my so called 'parents' that did that to me and you know it...And that can't be changed. I'm just glad you're here now."

"Me too," said Ororo with a smile.

There was a brief silence between them, for this whole situation was quite a bit to take in. But for now, none of that mattered.

"Aunty O? Remember that time when I was ten...And you took me to stay with you for a while after my parents had some 'issues' with their anger and took it all out on me?"

"Yes...Why?" asked Ororo curiously.

"Well...When you took me to the emergency room, the doctor asked if you were my mother...And I wanted you to say yes..."

Evan didn't like to show emotion most of the time, but upon saying those words he couldn't fight back his tears. Ororo then gave her nephew a loving hug...Helping him cope his long-time feelings of pain.

* * *

As Scott Summers slowly walked around his new room, he ran his hand along the walls to get a feel for his new surroundings. Occasionally, he bumped in to some things and stumbled on others. After a while he found himself lying on the soft, warm bed. He then sensed a familiar presence.

"Jean? Is that you?"

"How do you always know?" replied Jean with a smile.

"Beats me...I just...do."

She walked over to his bed and sat beside him.

"So what do you think of all this?" asked Jean.

Scott took a few moments to make his response.

"It's...Great. We couldn't have hoped for a better place to call home," replied Scott.

"Yeah...Home."

The two teens simply sat in silence, but they couldn't help but smile. Scott soon found his arm draped across Jean's waist as they took in their new home.

* * *

Young Kitty Pryde had finished going through every square inch of her new room. It was at least twice as big as her old room and a lot cleaner at that. Just then, Kurt appeared in the room in a flash.

"Man these rooms are SO cool!" exclaimed Kurt to his best friend.

"Definitely! No mold, no fungus, no rats, and no rotting smell!" replied Kitty.

"Certainly a step up from the old varehouse."

"No argument here."

The thoughts of the old ways they had to live were sobering. It only helped them appreciate this new home even further.

"So what do you think happens from here?" asked Kitty as she lay back on her bed.

Kurt briefly contemplated his response, for he too was curious on that matter as well.

"I honestly don't know. But vhatever happens...I'm sure it vill be better than our lives on the streets."

"I hope so Kurt...I really hope so."

Kitty simply smiled back at her friend as he walked over and sat by her side. She soon sat up next to him and Kurt could only smile back.

* * *

Rogue had not expected this. She never expected this new 'home' to be so big, spacious, and warm. Being the loner she was, she didn't say much while Ororo gave them a tour of the mansion. Several times she looked back at her with concern, but her friends knew that's just the way she is. She hoped the Professor or Storm wouldn't pressure her in to talking much, for her friends never did. They simply accepted her persona and in the end that is what was so enduring about them. Besides her friends, Ororo, and the Professor, there was also Logan to consider. He seemed to want to help her most and she still felt like she owed him for saving her earlier that day. Just then, Logan appeared in the doorway before her.

"Hey stripes. So what do ya think of the place?"

Rogue took a while to respond, for she couldn't quite find the words to properly describe such an unreal place.

"It's so...unreal. It's like a dream or somthin," said Rogue.

Logan couldn't help but smile at that. He felt she definitely had a place here.

"Glad ya like it," replied Logan, "I just came by to tell you that the Prof wants to talk to you all in the living room. Hopefully he can answer any more questions that you and yer friends might have."

"Okay...I'll be there in a minute," replied Rogue.

Logan then started to walk away.

"Logan..."

He soon stopped and looked back at the young teenage girl behind him.

"Thanks...For everything you've done. I can't tell you how much it means to me and my friends."

Logan was never one to get emotional, but he couldn't help but smile back at her and say, "You're welcome."

* * *

As the evening hours fell over the Xavier Institute, the six new students gathered in the main living area. The Professor was there, waiting to see how the tour went. He was still worried about the great challenges to come for these six mutant teens. As it was, they had already faced tremendous hardships. Although he didn't know the specific details of those hardships, he didn't want to push them to find out. With hard work and a little luck for him and his two teachers, there was definitely hope for these young teens.

As his new students filed in to the room, they eagerly awaited what the professor had to say.

"I take it you all are now familiar with the institute. Now tell me...What do you think?" said Xavier.

Scott was the first to speak.

"This place is beyond anything we expected Professor. I honestly don't think we could've hoped for anything better," said Scott.

"Yeah, nobody has ever been this nice to us. I don't know how we could ever thank you," added Kurt.

"No thanks are necessary Kurt," said the Professor, "That is why I formed this institute...To give people like you a chance. The whole mutant phenomenon is not something to be taken lightly. It is an exciting new world for humanity to explore, but as of now the human race is simply not ready to accept it. That is why you all must take the first steps towards helping mutants live in peace with others. In the coming months we will train you to deal with such issues that may threaten that peace."

"Threaten peace? You must mean the Brotherhood," said Jean.

"Yes, but make no mistake about it...They are not the only ones out there who share such malevolent views about humanity. And there will even be people out there who share such views against mutants as well. But we must all learn to overcome these obstacles in time and I hope to help all of you do so along the way."

"Help us how?" asked Rogue curiously.

"I understand that some of your mutations have caused a great deal of turmoil in the past because you didn't understand it fully. But here I have the tools necessary to help each one of you with your unique condition. I can help Scott with his eyes, I can help Jean with her control, and I can help Rogue deal with the unique nature of her powers as well. I can help you in the same way I helped Logan and Ororo. All that is required of each of you...Is to be willing to accept such change."

The professor's words added hope to the minds of the six lost teens. For years change had always been bad for them. It always meant things getting worse and never better. But this time they had an opportunity to turn that luck around, and they were sure as hell not to waste it.

"Professor," said Scott as he stood up to speak, "I hope I speak for the rest us when I say...We'll stand by you and your cause, for we owe you as much for giving us a chance..."

The professor couldn't help but smile back at the rest of the six teens before him, for they all seemed ready and willing to face the future that lay before them.

"Then consider your selves...X-men."

* * *

AN: Well, the X-men have been formed! Stay turned to see how their lives change in the next chapter. What do you all think? Please remember to REVIEW! Post them on or send them to me at Thank you for reading and best wishes to you all.

DO I REALLY HAVE TO SAY IT? REVIEW!


	13. A New Life

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 12: A New Life  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Needless to say, taking six broken teenage mutants from the streets and adjusting them to such a dramatic change of lifestyle was more difficult than Professor Charles Xavier had imagined. From the beginning there were problems with each of them. They all had no money or clean clothes and they were reduced to bare bones from years of mal-nutrition. Getting them eating again was a bit of a shock since none of them had a decent meal for the better part of a decade. Their lack of food had such a serious effect on them; the Professor had to call upon his old friend, Hank McCoy, to help formulate special prescription drugs to combat the effects of chronic mal- nutrition. Although the medications were hard to get use to, none of the teens objected to the professor.  
  
In addition to severe mal-nutrition, they all suffered terrible insomnia. Neither of them could fall asleep for more than two hours without having nightmares. Although they said they were use to it, it was still very unhealthy for them and it did a way with their strength. Sometimes they were able to help each other with this. Scott and Jean would often sleep in the same room to help each other and Kurt and Kitty ended up doing the same. Evan would often seek solstice with his Aunt while Rogue found herself looking to Logan for assistance. While this did help, in the end they all had to go on heavy medication to help them sleep. It was hard, but it was unfortunately necessary.  
  
In addition to eating more, Logan had fitted each of them with an aggressive fitness plan the help them all grow stronger and gain back the lost muscle that years on the streets had taken. The institute had a fully equipped gym and had a special training area aptly named the 'Danger Room.' Scott, Jean, and Rogue took a better liking to the weight room. They found that spending time benching heavy weights provided a good release for their stress. Evan, Kitty, and Kurt spent more time in the danger room, enjoying the challenging obstacles and team-building games that Logan programmed for them. Slowly, but surely, the six teens grew their strength back and began to regain lost muscle, especially Scott, Jean, and Rogue. They all underwent an aggressive training in martial arts as well as fitness. Each one of the six teens took an immediate liking to such training because it helped them feel much less weak in the end. And that meant worlds to them after feeling so weak and helpless for so many years. They spent hours learning moves and skills from Logan and Ororo and their willingness to learn often overwhelmed, but never hindered their efforts. After a couple of months, they finally stopped looking like undernourished famine victims, and they grew in to more acceptable, stronger-looking bodies.  
  
In addition to helping them physically, the Professor also did his part to help them mentally as well. He and Ororo spent a lot of time with them in helping them catch up for their eventual return to school. This proved to be easier than they could have hoped because the six teens had always used book on the streets to keep themselves sharp. They all learned fast; even Scott learned quickly despite his inability to see. By the time September rolled around, they all promised to enter high school fully prepared.  
  
In the past months, the professor had also begun to help each student with their powers. It was a miracle that they had any kind of control with their health as it was, but it still needed work. Charles, Ororo, and Logan worked daily with them to help them improve on their skills and they did have some success. Kurt's teleportation range went from a maximum of half a mile, to two miles. Kitty no longer fell through the floors at night and Rogue wasn't struggling as much with organizing the powers and thoughts she absorbed. Evan also showed great improvement thanks to Ororo's help. However, there were some exceptions.  
  
The Professor had found out about the plane crash Scott was in from intercepting his dreams and he discovered that the accident left him with some permanent brain damage that forever hindered his ability to control his optic blasts. It was such a bitter disappointment for him because it meant to him that he would never see again. However, the Professor vowed to change that. While Scott was fully capable using his other senses, and in some cases it was better than actual sight, he still yearned to be able to see once again and he could only hope that the Professor would stay true to his word.  
  
Jean Grey's powers proved to be the most difficult to manage. Surges and seizures had plagued her for many years and despite the Professor's help, it proved to be very hard to control. Jean's abilities were very powerful and over the years they had grown. The Professor was astonished to find out that she had kept them under controlled as much as she had. Whenever he asked Jean how, she would always say that Scott helped her.  
  
In the main library, Jean was once again trying to learn some control of her psychic powers, but there was little, if any, progress. She had been trying to use her telekenetic powers to lift simple objects like balls and books, but Jean had little success.  
  
"I...Can't..."  
  
"Yes you can Jean, just concentrate," said the Professor as he was trying to help Jean master her telekinesis. He had been trying to help her levitate and control the movement of heavy metal orbs without getting headaches, but this was proving more difficult than either of them could have anticipated.  
  
"I..." but before Jean could finish, she collapsed in fatigue causing the levitated metal balls to fall to the floor.  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry Professor. I just couldn't..."  
  
"It's alright Jean...This kind of control takes time," reassured the Professor as Jean tried to get her head straight again.  
  
"It's just that...It's been over a month and I still can't control it," said Jean in an exasperated tone.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself Jean. Your unique abilities are quite difficult to manipulate in comparison to the others. You see your powers are growing in intensity because your body and mind haven't finished growing yet," explained the Professor.  
  
"Will it ever stop?" asked Jean nervously.  
  
"Eventually it will," assured the Professor. "And that's why we must work to control your powers now, so you can stay in control in the future."  
  
Jean sighed as she readied herself to give it another try. But just then, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Yes, come in Scott," said Charles as he sensed his presence. Scott then entered the room.  
  
"Is everything all right? I heard something crash."  
  
The Professor couldn't help but laugh slightly.  
  
"I'm surprised you could hear it through these walls."  
  
"Well, I guess when one sense goes, the others get stronger," replied Scott sheepishly.  
  
"Indeed. That reminds me, I've been analyzing your condition with Cerebro's new upgrades and I believe that I am close to finding a way to help you see again."  
  
"How close?" asked Scott nervously.  
  
"Close enough to know that you will see again with certainty," assured the Professor.  
  
Such news was definitely exiting to Scott, but he tried not to get his hopes up too much. It had been 8 years since he had seen something clearly on his own and the Professor was promising to end or at least alleviate it. Jean couldn't help but smile at Scott, happy that at least one of them was going to be able to get some kind of control.  
  
"Well...Thanks Professor. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your help so far."  
  
"You're very welcome Scott," replied the Professor.  
  
Scott then turned around to leave, but just then the Professor looked back at Jean and had an idea.  
  
"Scott."  
  
Scott turned around and faced the Professor again.  
  
"Would you mind staying and helping us for a moment?"  
  
"Sure," said Scott. "But how can I help? I'm not a psychic."  
  
"That doesn't mean you can't assist us. You see, I've been trying to help Jean gain control over her psychic abilities by training her mind to manipulate, rather than suppress; so she can train her mind to have something like an 'on' or 'off' switch. However, it's been difficult over these last few weeks."  
  
"That's putting it lightly," commented Jean, still trying to get her head straight from the last failed attempt.  
  
"Oh, don't be so pessimistic Jean," said Scott with a smirk.  
  
Scott then made his way on to the couch where Jean was sitting and sat beside her. Immediately, Jean felt herself calm down in his presence. Over the years, Scott turned out to be the only who could ever keep Jean calm. The Professor was quick to pick up on this and hoped that Scott's presence would help.  
  
"Are you ready to try again Jean?" asked the Professor.  
  
After a few deep breaths, Jean nodded in reply "I think so."  
  
"Good, now do what we've discussed and concentrate, relax, and picture the object moving," said the Professor.  
  
"What should I do Professor?" asked Scott.  
  
"Just stay there...And keep her calm."  
  
Jean closed her eyes and took one last deep breath. Once again, the five heavy metal balls levitated off the floor and hovered. Jean seemed to be doing this with relative ease for the first 15 seconds, but then the Professor added in a few more tasks.  
  
"Good Jean, now move them a few feet to the left."  
  
Jean did as he instructed, but as they moved, they started to wobble and shake. Both Scott and the Professor could sense her struggling with the task. Jean's focus began to slip further as the metal balls began to shake more violently.  
  
"Professor...I," said Jean struggling to speak.  
  
"Concentrate Jean...You can do it," said the Professor.  
  
But it wasn't working. The metal balls grew more unstable and looked like they were going to crash in to the floor again. With a worried look, Scott put his hand on Jean's shoulder. Almost immediately, the Professor sensed a new calm in Jean Grey's mind. It could almost be certainly attributed to Scott's presence.  
  
"That's it Jean...You're doing it," said Scott urging her on.  
  
The metal balls stopped shaking violently and hung still in the air.  
  
"Okay Jean...Now try and moving them around. Remember, stay focused and stay calm. You're doing great," said the Professor.  
  
Slowly, but smoothly, the metal balls moved in all directions. Jean seemed remarkably calm through all this; it was a great contrast to all the follies she had been having in the last few weeks of training. Scott's hand stayed on Jean's shoulder the whole time trying to keep her from loosing control. For a good five minutes, Jean stayed in control as the metal orbs before her seemed completely under her control.  
  
"You're doing great Jean...Now try and set them down...Gently," instructed the Professor.  
  
Then, the metal balls slowly descended to the floor. Suddenly, there was a light jerk in their motion, but a gentle squeeze from Scott's hand helped Jean regain control. After a tense few moments, the heavy metal balls finally settled and Jean let out a deep sigh. Scott couldn't help but smile at her success.  
  
"Jean...How do you feel?" asked the Professor, hoping another one of her headaches wouldn't flare up again.  
  
"I feel...Fine," said Jean slightly dumbfounded, for she always had some kind of headache or seizure after using her powers. But this time was different because she had none of that...No pain, no pressure...Nothing.  
  
"Then apparently you have just taken your first steps towards control...Congratulations, Jean," said the Professor with an approving smile.  
  
"Thank you Professor."  
  
"Don't just thank me my dear. I think most of your thanks deserves to go to Mr. Summers right here."  
  
Jean just looked at Scott and smiled, "I know."  
  
Charles Xavier couldn't help but smile at what he had just witnessed, for he knew that it wasn't just him that had helped her. As they both got up to leave hand in hand, he saw the two teens look at each other in a special way. It didn't matter that Scott was blind; it was as if they really could see each other though some special way. It didn't take a psychic to see that these two young souls shared a very special bond.  
  
************************************************************************ Later that evening, the team sat down to a hardy dinner. The Professor felt a real sense of accomplishment as he heard their laughter fill the room. Even Rogue couldn't help but be enticed by the ambience. He also felt like these once broken young people resembled not just a team, but a family as well. Now, each one of them had some kind of control using their powers, even Jean. Scott was still blind, but he didn't let that get to him. Just as dinner was coming to an end, the doorbell rang. Logan went to get it and was greeted with a familiar face.  
  
"Hank McCoy, it's been quiet a while," said Logan with a wolfish grin.  
  
"Indeed Logan," said a tall, stocky man with glasses. "Is the Professor in?"  
  
He was Hank McCoy, a mutant like the rest of them. While he didn't show it, it was still there...Inside of him. Charles Xavier had helped him many years ago with his control and he still kept in contact with him for years afterwards, doing what he can to help repay him in any way he could.  
  
Logan led him in to the dining room where Storm, Kitty, and Kurt were clearing the table and the Professor was wheeling himself out.  
  
"Hank...It's good to see you again," greeted the Professor.  
  
"Likewise Charles," responded Hank.  
  
"So tell me, what brings you here old friend?" asked Charles.  
  
"Just repaying another favor for you. You see, I've been studying some of the data you've given me about one of your students, Scott Summers."  
  
"Yes, what about him?" replied the Professor.  
  
"I've recently discovered a unique substance that was being used in laser studies abroad. It's called ruby-quartz and it's quite a remarkable material. I read up on Mr. Summers' condition and I believe that this may be the magic medium you've been seeking that will help him see again without releasing his powers."  
  
"You say this will help him see again?" said the Professor with a hopeful tone. "I must warn you that Scott's optic blasts are not ordinary lasers. They have remarkable concussive power and are capable of tearing through solid steel with relative ease."  
  
"I know the destructive nature of the young man's powers, but all of my tests were positive and I am nearly 100% certain that this ruby-quartz stuff will do the trick."  
  
The professor had come to trust Hank's scientific knowledge over the years. If he was right about this new data, then it would be a godsend to Scott. The Professor had made a promise to Scott not long after he joined and he was always one to keep his word.  
  
"Well...There's only one way to find out."  
  
*********************************************************************** In the steel reinforced walls of the danger room, Scott Summers stood nervously in the center. He couldn't remember a time when he was this weary, but the prospect of regaining his long lost sight was just too big to take lightly. Logan, the Professor, Hank, and Jean were present and all of their hopes ran high.  
  
"Okay Scott, are you ready?" asked the Professor sensing his anxiety.  
  
Scott took a deep breath and simply nodded. He had spent eight years being blind and had gotten use to it for the most part. But it was still a great burden on him. Not being able to see had been the curse that came along with his gift and now it seemed there was finally hope for a new beginning.  
  
"Okay, now keep your eyes closed...And remove the blindfold," said Hank.  
  
Scott did as he was told and kept his eyes shut.  
  
"Jean...Would you like to do the honors?" asked the Professor, knowing that Scott would benefit greatly if Jean was the first person he saw for obvious reasons.  
  
"Can I?" she asked looking towards Hank.  
  
"Be my guest Jean," replied Hank as he handed her a strange pair of glasses. He also had a visor for battle situations, but for now he felt that the glasses would do for now in this simple test scenario.  
  
To her they looked like ordinary sunglasses, but with a bit more of an exotic look. It was strange, knowing that these small spectacles held the key to Scott's vision.  
  
"Shouldn't we be doing this outside?" asked Logan as Jean made her way towards Scott.  
  
"Have some faith Logan...Besides, these walls are reinforced," reassured Hank.  
  
Slowly, Jean placed the custom fitted glasses over Scott's eyes and took a step back.  
  
"Okay...Now open your eyes Scott," said Jean anxiously.  
  
Scott held his breath along with the rest of the group as he slowly opened his eyes.  
  
Nothing...  
  
No blasts, no pressure...Nothing. Scott took in his first real sight of the girl he had been so close with for years. Every mental picture he ever had and every image in his mind he had ever experience culminated in this moment. There was only one thought that went through his mind at that point in time as he laid eyes on the girl he had known for so long and considered her nothing short of an angel.  
  
'Wow...'  
  
"Beautiful. You're beautiful Jean," said Scott still taking in his first few moments of actual sight.  
  
"They work!" exclaimed Jean.  
  
Everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief as Scott looked around at the new images before him. Jean had thought that Scott's words were just a reaction to her being the first thing he had seen in many years, but the Professor sensed otherwise.  
  
"You've done it again old friend," said the Professor to Hank as he relished his accomplishment.  
  
"I owe you many favors Charles. Consider this to be one of them," smiled Hank.  
  
As Scott looked around at his friends, his gaze stopped at Logan.  
  
"Whoa, now I know why everybody says you're scary," commented Scott.  
  
"They have no idea," replied Logan with a grin.  
  
************************************************************************ As the weeks went by, Scott grew accustomed to his newfound ability to see. Although he saw through a red haze, it was still better then nothing. Jean seemed to be happiest for her friend and she still stuck by him even though he didn't need to be guided around anymore. He still stood by her as well even though she had greater control over her powers. It had been nearly two weeks since Jean had a seizure, which was a major feat for her. Now they only hung around each other out of pure desire, rather than necessity. The rest of the group seemed equally elated at Scott's new sense of sight. They had seen him suffer from his handicap for too long and it was a welcome new feeling for everybody.  
  
As the Professor sat on the balcony, watching the six teens laughing and playing in the back yard, he felt that he could finally say he succeeded. Scott, Kurt, and Evan were playing a game of basketball, and the girls were sitting off to the side simply talking and laughing about this and that. Even Rogue joined in the festivities.  
  
As Charles was lost in his thoughts, Ororo and Logan entered the room.  
  
"Hiya Chuck," said Logan as approached the Professor. "Penny for yer thoughts?"  
  
Charles simply smiled, "I was just watching them...Thinking of how far they've come in the last few months."  
  
"Indeed, looking at them now, one would never guess that they were once on the streets," said Ororo.  
  
"Yes, they've definitely gotten stronger physically. But psychologically...I'm not so sure," responded Charles.  
  
"What do ya mean?" asked Logan.  
  
The Professor was silent for a moment, conflicted about what he was about to say.  
  
"I've been intercepting their dreams since they arrived...And they are definitely not of a pleasant nature."  
  
"How bad?" asked Logan in a concerned tone.  
  
"Very bad..." said the Professor ominously. "I keep seeing Scott's dreams of watching his parents die right before his eyes and suffering terribly under an abusive foster dad. I see Jean having nightmares of terrible physical and verbal abuse from her parents. I see Kitty suffering tremendous hardships with her cruel father and numerous memories of rape. I see Kurt suffering abuse from those scared of his appearance and sense memories caused by years of physical and sexual abuse. I see Evan and memories of his violent drug-ridden parents and the pain that came along with it. I see Rogue and sense the neglect from her abusive foster mother and torture from others who didn't understand her."  
  
The other two adults stood in shock at this revelation. It was now clear why they had fled to the streets in the first place. How mere children could withstand such lives was a mystery in of itself. They had made progress with them, but they never spoke of their past. Now they knew why.  
  
"My God," said Ororo in disbelief, "I can't believe that 'children' could be forced to suffer so much like that."  
  
"Me neither," said Charles.  
  
Logan remained silent, still trying to process what the Professor had just revealed to them.  
  
"So what happens now?" asked Logan finally.  
  
The Professor didn't respond at first. He just looked back out towards the six teens as they enjoyed the crisp evening air. Kurt had just stolen the basketball from Evan and was making his way towards Scott, who was guarding the basket. Kurt then went on to teleport himself on top of the backboard and slam-dunked the ball through the hoop.  
  
"Two points for the fuzzy man!" exclaimed Kurt in celebration.  
  
"No fair! You used powers!" said Scott laughing at Kurt's 'unusual' victory dance.  
  
"Yeah, I wanna rematch!" yelled Evan.  
  
The girls just laughed at Kurt's antics, especially Kitty.  
  
The Professor, Ororo, and Logan couldn't help but smile at seeing their students happy.  
  
"What happens now? Well, all we can do is simply enjoy what we have accomplished now...And hope for the best."  
  
************************************************************************ AN: Well, things seem to be looking up for the X-men. Stay tuned to see how their first day of school goes (DUN DUN DUN!!!). Don't forget to review! Post them at fanfiction.net or send them to slickboy444@aol.com. I'd love to hear all your thoughts on this story, good or bad. Until next time, best wishes to you all.  
  
REVIEWS...*GASP*...I NEED REVIEWS! 


	14. First Day Of School

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 13: First Day Of School  
  
************************************************************************  
  
At last, September had finally rolled around and the six new X-men wearily awaited their first day of school at Bayville High School. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue did not have a very good history with school. Each one of them never did fit in at their old schools and most of them had suffered horribly from abuse from other children. Rogue was by far the worst; school back home was something she still had terrible nightmares about. Kurt and Kitty also had bad memories of school, for they had been so alone in dealing with their traumatic home lives they were left isolated from others. Evan went to a school in the inner city back in New York and there were some very bad memories associated with the whole experience. Evan never said much in school and the constant violence and death that surrounded him every day only made him feel more alone and isolated. Scott and Jean had their own problems with school. Both of them never said much and constant teasing of their quiet nature ran deep in their minds. In the end every one of them had a reason for not wanting to go back to school. On top of it all, they would have to hide from everybody the fact that they were mutants.  
  
The Professor had to constantly reassure his young students that Bayville would be different if they just gave it a chance. He never told them he knew about their nightmares of the past so it was hard to show them his empathy. But despite all their anxiety, the six young X-men agreed to at least give it a try.  
  
It would be by no means easy both physically and emotionally. The principle of Bayville high was not a very tolerant man when it came to mutants. His name was Edward Kelly and the Professor met him when he went to enroll the six teens. He had seen in to his mind the knowledge and suspicions he had towards mutants even though mutants weren't suppose to exist to most people. If he ever found out about his students, the Professor feared for their safety.  
  
"Well everything seems to be in order Professor Xavier, but I am still curious to know what exactly your institute for 'gifted' youngsters actually is..." said Principle Kelly as he handed Charles a stack of transfer papers.  
  
"We are simply a school like this one, only catered to the special needs of certain children," said the Professor knowing that this was only half the truth, but the truth none-the-less.  
  
"I assumed that, but how exactly are these children...Gifted, as you say," asked Kelly as the Professor began to wheel his way out.  
  
"These children simply have nowhere to go or anybody to take proper care of them at the moment. The institute is simply helping them by giving them a decent home," responded the Professor.  
  
Before Kelly could respond, the Professor was already out the door. However, just as he was leaving Kelly shot him a suspicious glance, as if to tell him "This isn't over."  
  
"How'd it go?" asked Storm as they began to drive back to the institute.  
  
"Okay I guess, but Kelly is definitely suspicious of us. He may be a problem in the future if our secret ever does get out," said Charles with a sigh.  
  
"Hopefully that doesn't happen."  
  
"Yes...Hopefully."  
  
The Professor couldn't get around everything in enrolling the six teens. He ended up having to forge fake medical records for Scott saying that he had an eye condition that made his eyes hypersensitive to light and had to wear special glasses 24/7. He had take similar precautions with Jean in case she had a seizure and make fake records for Rogue that told that she had a skin condition. All in all, it wasn't easy, but hopefully it would be worth it in the end.  
  
************************************************************************ The first day of school had finally come and the six young X-men rushed along the halls all morning in preparation for the big day. Some were a little later than others were however.  
  
"HEY STRIPES, PORCUPINE! Get a move on or you're gonna be late!" yelled Logan up the stairs.  
  
Suddenly, Evan came rushing down the hallway on his skateboard.  
  
"Make way for the Spyke!" said Evan as he shimmied down the banister, only to fall at the end. "WHOA!"  
  
"Save it for the Danger Room kid," said Logan as he grabbed his skateboard and handed it back to him. "Just don't do that again or we'll have extra firewood on our hands, clear!"  
  
"Crystal," said Evan at Logan's angered tone knowing a threat from him was never to be taken lightly.  
  
Evan walked off to get a last minute breakfast before leaving, which left Rogue.  
  
"ROGUE! Come on!" yelled Logan again.  
  
No sooner than he had finished, Rogue came walking downstairs.  
  
"I'm comin, I'm comin, jeez! Just couldn't find my gloves that's all," said Rogue.  
  
She moved slowly with an anxious look on her face, as if to stall the inevitable. Logan soon picked up on this.  
  
"Hey, you okay stripes?" asked Logan.  
  
"Yeah...I'm fine," she said with a sigh as she made her way towards the kitchen to get some breakfast.  
  
Logan just shook his head. He could smell the fear and anxiety among each one of the students. The Professor had told him some of the dark details about their history with school and he couldn't blame them for their nervousness. It was more than he had anticipated, but there was little he could do to help unfortunately. All he could do is hope for the best for them.  
  
************************************************************************ The six teens piled in to Scott's new car as they prepared to head off for their first day of school. Scott and Jean were the only ones old enough to drive so Charles let them take one of his cars. The Professor had quite the array of cars in stock and he had left them to travel in a very nice looking red convertible. It was a shock to be given such a nice ride and it did boost their spirits slightly. The drive was silent for the most part as tensions ran high.  
  
"Man this is gonna suck...Big time," moaned Evan as they stopped at a red light a few blocks from the school.  
  
"Yeah, well we don't know that for sure just yet," said Scott trying to sound optimistic, but not doing a very good job of it.  
  
"Knowing our luck, I wouldn't have any great expectations," mused Kitty.  
  
"Well, the Professor says to just be ourselves and don't use our powers," said Scott, "But...Easier said than done I guess."  
  
"I just hope they don't find out we're mutants on the first day and make the entire year a living hell," said Jean.  
  
"Yeah, didn't the Professor say something about the principle already being suspicious?" asked Kurt.  
  
"Yeah...Just our luck," said Jean.  
  
As they made their way through the last few blocks, they finally saw the campus at Bayville High. It was big, almost intimidating in a sense.  
  
"Okay everyone...Let's hope for the best," said Scott as they all filed out of the car and started walking towards the main front doors.  
  
They stayed together as a group as long as they could. Scott and Jean stayed close and so did Kurt and Kitty. Evan and Rogue kept surveying the crowds around them, almost as if they were expecting to get jumped at any minute. It felt weird not having the safety of the institute around them, but they had to make due anyway.  
  
"Well, I guess this is where we part. Everybody got their schedules?" asked Scott.  
  
Everyone simply nodded in reply.  
  
"Well then...Good luck guys," said Scott to his friends as they made their way to their respective lockers.  
  
Kurt was heading one way while Kitty was going the other, but before they left Kurt turned back around and faced his best friend. Sensing his gaze she turned back around to meet his eyes.  
  
"It'll be all right Kitty," assured Kurt even though he was full of uncertainty as well.  
  
"I hope so...I'll see you later Kurt," she responded, feeling a slight comfort from his words and managing to smile ever so slightly.  
  
"Yeah...See ya," replied Kurt who smiled back as he watched her walk off to class.  
  
Scott and Jean were lucky to have their lockers near each other. They also had several classes together since they were in the same grade. It would be easier for them, but they were still filled with doubt.  
  
"So what do you have first?" asked Scott as he opened his locker and put some of his books in.  
  
"English. What about you?" replied Jean closing her locker.  
  
"History...Not my best subject."  
  
"But not your worst either," responded Jean trying to lift both of their spirits.  
  
Scott only laughed slightly, "I guess so. Well, I'll see you next period Jean. Good luck."  
  
"Yeah, see you then."  
  
The two then reluctantly went their separate ways. They were on their own now and it was a bit scary to them, especially in school. Jean just lingered back at her locker for a brief moment before the bell rang, making sure her mind was in control and she wouldn't pick up any stray thoughts. She was surprised that she and her friends hadn't turned many heads other than the ones of people recognizing them as new. Just then she sensed a few thoughts coming from a group of guys several lockers down. They were all wearing trendy Baville jackets with large letters on them hinting that they were jocks.  
  
'Never seen that chick before. Must be new,' said one boy.  
  
'She must be one of the new cheerleaders. She sure looks the part,' said another.  
  
'Ah, a new chick, and a redhead at that. Definitely one of the chicks I should put on my 'priority' list,' said what looked like the leader of the group. He had blond hair and heard some of the others calling him Duncan.  
  
Jean shifted uncomfortably upon hearing their thoughts and quickly blocked them out and made her way to class. They weren't of a negative nature like she had expected, but it was still a bit overwhelming because some of those thoughts about her did bring back some rather unpleasant memories.  
  
************************************************************************ Scott made his way in to his first period history class and headed towards the back of the room. As he continued to walk in to the room, a girl mistakenly bumped in to him and dropped her books.  
  
"Hey watch it! Are you blind or something?" said the girl noticeably irked.  
  
Scott sighed at that last part. It still hurt sometimes to think about the handicap that he was forever burdened with, but he tried not to let it bother him for the most part.  
  
"Well yeah, partially if you must know," said Scott in an apologetic tone.  
  
The girl then looked at Scott's glasses and immediately regretted what she just said.  
  
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry!" she said with an embarrassed look on her face.  
  
"Sokay, it happens," said Scott as he handed her the books she had dropped.  
  
Without saying another work Scott then walked to the back and took his seat. The brown-haired girl that had bumped in to her sat in the front with two other girls. Although they probably didn't know it, Scott could hear them clearly because of his acute senses.  
  
"That was smooth Taryn, bump in to the new guy and make fun of his handicap," commented one of the girls.  
  
"Yeah, not to mention he's a real cutie!" cooed another one.  
  
"Shut up! I feel bad enough that it's the first day," said Taryn with a sigh. "But you're right about one thing...His is cute."  
  
Scott tried to hide his discomfort with that last one. He didn't care about the comment she had made earlier, for he really couldn't blame her. But that last part was something he hadn't expected. Past instances with things like that did bring back some bad memories from the past that he didn't want to remember on the first day of school.  
  
************************************************************************ Rogue stayed quiet as the rest of the students around her were busy socializing about this and that. Others kept their distance, just as Rogue had hoped. She had been the weariest when it came to coming back to school. She couldn't feel safe here, no matter how much the Professor had reassured her. It was made harder by the fact that she had to avoid all physical contact with everybody around her.  
  
"Excuse me?" said a voice interrupting Rogue's thought process. "Do you know where Mr. Pliskin's room is?"  
  
Rogue looked at the girl and she looked about her age. She had a strange hairstyle and a lot of makeup, almost as much as Rogue. The girls clothes kind of matched her gothic nature, but Rogue was still a bit weary of anybody outside her regular group of friends.  
  
"I don't know really. I'm kinda new here," replied Rogue.  
  
"Oh, well you're not alone then. I'm new here too. I just transferred here from Manchester, England," smiled the girl.  
  
Rogue felt herself lighten slightly at this revelation.  
  
"So what class do you have first?" asked the girl.  
  
Rogue looked at her schedule.  
  
"Actually, I have that same class," said Rogue slightly dumbfounded.  
  
"What a coincidence! Come on, let's see if we can't find it together in this annoying maze."  
  
"Uh, okay," said Rogue wearily, but without fear. "I'm Rogue by the way."  
  
"Cool name, I'm Risty. Nice to meet you!"  
  
************************************************************************  
  
AN: Thought I'd end it there for now! Don't worry, the next chapter will come soon enough. It'll be round two for the Brotherhood so stay tuned! Well, what do ya think so far? Is it good, bad, neither? PLEASE tell me! Post reviews at fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. I'm dyin' to know so don't keep me hanging! Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
WAIT!!! DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! PLEASE!!! 


	15. Brotherhood Encounter

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 14: Brotherhood Encounter  
  
Before I begin, I want to thank everybody who had reviewed this story thus far. I can't thank you enough for giving me your feedback and I vow to keep at this story until it's finished and update as early as I can.  
  
Special thanks to sweet like chocolate, Optic Red, AC/DC, Darkness1, commander-cane-7, inuyasha0001, damien455, Japanese_Dragon, Lazerwolf/Phoenix, and Aqueous.  
  
You guys ROCK! Thanks again and enjoy!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Around noon lunchtime had finally rolled around. The six teens met up in the cafeteria to eat. Overall, the first day of school wasn't nearly as bad as any of them had expected. All in all, it was pretty good given their circumstances.  
  
Currently, they were all sitting outside at a single table eating their lunch and talking about their day.  
  
"So what about you guys? How's it been going?" asked Evan as he took a bite of his sandwich.  
  
"Not as bad as I thought," said Scott. "I'm glad I was wrong about this place earlier."  
  
"Same here, definitely a step up from my old school. Better food too!" said Kurt as he took a big bite of his burrito.  
  
"That's for sure," said Evan. "What about you, Rogue?"  
  
Rogue didn't seem as anxious as she was earlier. Since meeting Risty, she grew a bit more comfortable with the new surroundings, but she still chose not to talk much.  
  
"Well...It hasn't been terrible. Nothing like my old school, that's for sure. I even made a friend," replied Rogue.  
  
"Vay to go Rogue! That's more than I can say," said Kurt with his mouth partially full of food.  
  
"Uh...Thanks," said Rogue trying not to be grossed out.  
  
Kitty only laughed at Kurt's table manners.  
  
As they continued to talk about their day, five familiar figures hung back near the trees. It was the Brotherhood. Freddy had bought over a mountain of food on a tray and was in the process of devouring the whole thing. Lance and Pietro had more modest lunches while Toad spent the time trying to snag flies in the air with his long tongue. Wanda just sat off to the side reading a book, trying to avoid eye contact with Toad while he munched on insects.  
  
"Man, why does Mystique want us in school anyway, yo?" said Todd as he grew frustrated trying to catch an extra pesky fly.  
  
"Beat's me, but I don't really care. Free food!" said Freddy as he wolfed down an entire burger.  
  
Lance just shook his head, knowing Freddy's legendary love of food would probably make him do anything for more.  
  
"I don't know...She says something about needing a decent education and keeping tabs on human knowledge about mutants," said Pietro with a great deal of sarcasm in his voice. He never wanted to come to school in the first place either. It was just too slow for a guy like him.  
  
As they ate, Lance suddenly noticed a certain group of people eating lunch at a table in the distance. They looked familiar...Too familiar for comfort. The memories of the Brotherhood's loss to Xavier several months ago still hung over him like a dark cloud. Mystique had been furious that they couldn't take down the six mutants that ended up siding with Xavier. She and Magneto had them do extensive, exhausting training as punishment for their failure that better resembled boot camp. The rest of the Brotherhood had never been told what happened to the kids Xavier recruited, but bitterness still hung strong.  
  
"Yo Lance, you okay?" said Toad as he finally got the fly that he had been chasing for the last five minutes.  
  
"Check it out guys. See anybody familiar?" said Lance gesturing towards the table where the unsuspecting X-men were sitting.  
  
The rest of the Brotherhood looked towards the six other teens. To them they looked familiar, but they looked very little like the six mutants they had faced last March back at the docks.  
  
"Uh, what do you mean Lance?" asked Blob, not seeing the resemblance.  
  
"Look closer Blob, don't you recognize them?" said Wanda in a semi- exasperated tone.  
  
Upon looking closer, Freddy finally realized what the rest of them already had. He immediately felt the anger upon recognizing the six teens.  
  
"Hey! It's those goody little X-geeks from the docks!" bellowed Fred as he stood up, knocking over his lunch.  
  
"You sure Lance? They don't look like em," said Todd.  
  
Lance responded by hitting Todd upside the head.  
  
"Ow! Hey, what the hell was that for?!" responded Toad bitterly.  
  
"Wake up swamp breath, that was months ago. Xavier's probably trained and fed them since then. Which means they're probably stronger than before," replied Lance.  
  
"I don't care! I think we deserve a little payback after what happened last time!" bellowed Blob.  
  
"You'll do no such thing...Yet," said a new voice from behind them.  
  
The five Brotherhood members promptly turned around to see Mystique standing before them.  
  
"Mystique? What they hell are you doing here?" asked Pietro.  
  
"The same thing you should be doing...Keeping tabs on Xavier's new soldiers," replied Mystique sternly.  
  
"So it really is them," said Wanda looking back at the six teens at the table, still finding it hard to believe.  
  
"Yes. And you will NOT engage them...Not here, not now," said Mystique with an authoritative tone.  
  
"Aw come on! Why not?" said Blob still itching for revenge.  
  
"Oh please," said Mystique in an exasperated manner. "You couldn't even beat them when they were nothing more than a pack of bare-boned bums. What makes you think you can defeat them now that they've been trained?"  
  
Nobody responded after that. The fresh memories of what happened last time still hung over them. They knew Mystique's words were all too true. But this didn't stop the bitterness inside them.  
  
"Don't worry, the time will come for us all. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to," said Mystique as she shifted in to a raven and flew off.  
  
"So what now?" asked Blob.  
  
Pietro just smirked, "She said not to engage them as the Brotherhood...But she never said anything about engaging them individually."  
  
"Whoa speedy, don't tell me you're gonna go above Mystique," said Toad.  
  
"Oh, sounds like a challenge!" replied Pietro.  
  
Wanda just sighed at her brother's arrogance. Lance too was noticeably indifferent to the speed demon's words.  
  
"Come on guys! Do you honestly want those goody two shoes to get away with it?" asked Pietro trying to tap the pent up bitterness within each of them.  
  
They all looked back at the X-men and watched them get up and head back to class. The Brotherhood of Mutants couldn't help but feel the anger grow from within them.  
  
************************************************************************ As Rogue opened her locker to get some books for class, she couldn't help but feel relieved that this day wasn't as bad as she had dreaded. She and her friends had been very worried about coming back to school after so many years of bad memories. It was nice to have such a drastic change of luck. Suddenly, as she closed her locker, she felt a strange presence behind her.  
  
"You and your friends have got a lot of nerve showing up here!" said a thoroughly pissed voice.  
  
Rogue turned around to see Wanda Maximoff standing in front of her with an angry look in her eyes.  
  
"Hey I know you. Yer from the Brotherhood," said Rogue, undaunted by her presence.  
  
The lights above them began to flicker.  
  
"It's good you remember me, because I most certainly remember you! Don't think that I haven't forgotten our last fight..."  
  
"Hey, you attacked US, Miss Scarlet Bitch!" yelled Rogue loosing her temper.  
  
The lights flickered more as Wanda's anger grew. Rogue saw her beginning to make fists with her hands.  
  
"You wanna hit me? Go ahead...See what happens when you touch the Rogue," replied Rogue in a stern, yet somewhat calm tone.  
  
Wanda was about to respond, but then one of the administrators stepped in.  
  
"Excuse me ladies, is there a problem?" said the administrator with an annoyed look on her face.  
  
The lights stopped flickering as Wanda remembered Mystique's words about using powers in school. She could only look back bitterly at Rogue as she began to walk away.  
  
"This isn't over," said Wanda.  
  
After she was out of sight Rogue just stood there, dumbfounded by what had just happened.  
  
"Well this day WAS going well."  
  
************************************************************************ Evan's last period was gym class. It was easy for him because of all the time he had spent in the danger room back at the institute. It was also a welcome change from his other classes. And since it was only the first day, most of the students just hung back and played basketball.  
  
Evan simply shot hoops on his own. Basketball had always been a great release when he was back with his parents and when he was on the streets with his friends. The fast paced rhythm of the game seemed to make him forget all of the troubles that plagued his life. As he shot a three- pointer from a distance, an all too familiar boy caught the ball and approached Evan.  
  
"Hiya Porcupine...Long time no see," said Pietro snidely.  
  
"Hey I know you...You're a part one those Brotherhood goons that attacked me and my friends," said Evan growing a bit defensive at the sight of this boy whom he fought against personally last time.  
  
"Name's Pietro, but my enemies call me Quicksilver," said Pietro as he started to dribble the ball and walk towards Evan. "You think you and the rest of your shitty pals are so hot, huh?"  
  
"Well if I'm not mistaken...We did win in our first encounter," replied Evan with a smirk that only heightened Pietro's temper.  
  
"That was beginners luck. I think now I'm entitled to a little payback," said Pietro with an overconfident look on his face. Then, he passed the ball back to Evan. "Come on, show me what you've got!"  
  
Evan said nothing as he started to dribble the ball as Pietro took a defensive stance between him and the basket. Evan began to move to the right, but the speed demon followed him. He began to move to the left, but once again Pietro blocked his way.  
  
"Too slow Porcupine! You're gonna have to do better than that!" taunted Pietro.  
  
Evan took a few steps back beyond the three-point line and prepared to make his next move. Pietro stood ready for him as he awaited his advance. Then, just as it looked like Evan was going to make a hard drive for the basket, he simply shot the ball through the air and in to the basket with a swish.  
  
"Three-points Quicksilver," said Evan triumphantly with a grin.  
  
Pietro looked irked, but only for a brief moment. He then got the ball and made his way back towards Evan.  
  
"Now it's my turn!" said Pietro confidently.  
  
"Bring it on..."  
  
Pietro began to dribble the ball as Evan focused on guarding the way to the basket. The speedy mutant then made his way to the left; Evan followed, but Pietro stopped for some reason. He went to the right, but stopped again almost as if he was taunting Evan.  
  
"You can't win," said Pietro with a smug tone.  
  
"Oh really?" replied Evan growing more angry by the second.  
  
"Yeah really."  
  
Pietro then began a charge towards the basket from the right. Evan stood in his way, but as he moved to match his speed the speed demon's quick reflexes purposely tripped him up. Evan fell to the floor as Pietro went in for the easy lay-up shot.  
  
"Too slow spiky," taunted Pietro as he passed the ball back at Evan.  
  
"You did that on purpose!" replied Evan with an enraged tone.  
  
"Yeah, what are ya gonna do about it huh? Impale me? Here? In school and in front of all these people?" said Pietro with smirk knowing how tempted Evan was to do just that.  
  
Evan could feel the spikes wanting to jump out of his skin and cut this hothead to bits, but he knew he couldn't do it in plain sight for everybody to see.  
  
"Thought not," said Pietro as he snidely walked away.  
  
************************************************************************ Lance Alvers was never one to take shit from anybody, so he was especially eager to confront any one of the new X-men about their last encounter. He remembered the bitter defeat and how Mystique had hounded him to no end about it. Lance was always thought of as the leader of the group when Mystique wasn't around. Even though Pietro protested this to no end, the Brotherhood still looked up to Lance to be their effective field leader. It was for these reasons he was itching for revenge against the six other mutant teens.  
  
As he stood near his locker, he noticed a familiar face down the hall. It was the girl he had fought against, Kitty Pryde. He couldn't help but wince slightly at the memory of what she did last time. He thought he had beaten her, he thought had won, but then she came up out of the ground...And introduced her foot to his balls. It still hurt to think about it.  
  
Lance made his way towards the young mutant as she put her books in her locker. She looked very different in comparison to the last time he saw her. Last time she looked like a starving war-refugee and was nothing but skin and bones. Her clothes use to be dirty, raggedy, and old. Now she was actually wearing decent clothes and actually had some meat on her bones. She was still thin, but it was nothing compared to what she looked like last time. It looked as though she had been doing some serious exercise back at that mansion. She wore makeup that bought out her face more and her hair wasn't nearly as greasy or messy as before. She almost looked like a normal valley girl. Through all this, Lance couldn't help but find her quite attractive...But he tried to dispense that thought as he approached her.  
  
"Hey, remember me?" said Lance as he walked up to her.  
  
Kitty turned to see the familiar boy before her.  
  
"Hey...You're that guy from the Brotherhood that attacked me!" said Kitty in a slightly defensive tone.  
  
"Lance Alvers, but most folks know me as Avalanche," replied Lance causally, choosing not to use the direct approach.  
  
"Well I wish I could say that it's nice to meet you Lance, but after last time I doubt that's a possibility," replied Kitty dryly.  
  
'Whoa, feisty...I like that in a girl,' thought Lance, for he couldn't help but laugh at her attitude towards him, even if it was embittered.  
  
"You've changed," said Lance looking up and down her body, which was definitely a far cry from the bare boned form he remembered from their first encounter.  
  
"You haven't," replied Kitty who was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable at the way he looked at her, however Lance seemed to pick up on this.  
  
"Come on, just because I'm with the Brotherhood doesn't mean we can't share a decent conversation," said Lance flashing her a smile, hoping that would loosen her up.  
  
"Yeah, like I believe that," replied Kitty, but the hostile sound in her voice had waned. She was unable to discern whether or not Lance was being sincere.  
  
Lance walked in closer, causing Kitty to feel a lot more uncomfortable. Lance didn't seem to pick this up, he just took it as a sign that he was succeeding even though this wasn't the kind of encounter he had planned.  
  
"What about you, huh? I've told you my name, the least you can do is tell me yours," said Lance trying not to sound hostile.  
  
Kitty was silent for a moment, she didn't want be this close to him. However he wasn't being nearly as confrontational as she had expected. It did relieve her a bit, but she just couldn't get past the memories of their first fight.  
  
"It's Kitty, now leave me alone," she finally said as she turned to walk away, but soon found herself being trailed by Lance.  
  
"What that's it? Nothing more to tell me?"  
  
"There's nothing more to tell," responded Kitty in a tone that was asking him to leave.  
  
"Come on Kitty, just..." but before Lance could finish, he was cut off by a voice from behind.  
  
"I think the lady wants you to leave now."  
  
Lance turned around and saw Kurt standing behind him looking quite angry, but he remained undaunted.  
  
"And just who are you?" replied Lance with a stern gaze.  
  
"A friend," replied Kurt as he continued to stare the older boy down.  
  
Sensing the tense nature in the air, Kitty stepped in.  
  
"Let it go Kurt, let's just leave," said Kitty as she walked up beside him.  
  
Kurt gave Lance one last terse look before they both then turned away from Lance and began to walk away.  
  
Lance was left slightly dumbstruck by the encounter, for it had turned out nothing like he had planned. He had originally thought he was going to confront Kitty about the first fight they had been a part of, but she turned it around and for some reason Lance found himself playing along...And liking it. He smiled slightly as he looked back at her, feeling he still succeeded in some way other than he had planned.  
  
************************************************************************ The final bell for the first day had rung and all of the students eagerly flooded out. Scott and Jean were among them, casually walking towards the car to meet the others and talking about their first day. It had been nothing like they had expected, which was a pleasant surprise for all of them. Scott and Jean continued to walk and talk about this and that, and soon Jean linked her arms around Scott's...A gesture they had done for years, only now it seemed to have a bit more meaning. However, they were not alone as they got closer to the parking lot. From a distance, Todd Tolensky and Freddy Dukes watched them with a great sense of bitterness.  
  
"You ready Freddy?" said Todd with a smirk as he saw them walk through the parking lot.  
  
"Yeah...I'm ready," said Blob eager for some payback after last time.  
  
Todd began to hop towards them, hiding his position behind other cars. Blob stood back further, hoping to surprise them more. Suddenly, Scott and Jean stopped walking.  
  
"Jean...Do you smell something?" said Scott sniffing the air.  
  
"What do you..." but Jean was cut off when she picked up the presence of two menacing other teens. The one thing that bothered her, however, was that she felt she had sensed this same presence before.  
  
"Sup X-geeks," said a voice.  
  
Scott and Jean turned towards the source of the voice and saw the greasy- haired Todd Tolensky, perched on top of a van. Even though Scott hadn't seen him last time, he recognized the voice.  
  
"Oh great, you again," said Jean in an exasperated tone. She had remembered this kid from their last fight.  
  
"You bet cha! You didn't think I was gonna let you all get away with what you did last time now did ya?" said Todd hopping off the van and in front of them.  
  
"Hey, first of all YOU attacked US," said Scott in an annoyed tone. "What did you expect us to do?"  
  
"Excuses excuses," replied Toad casually.  
  
Then, a new presence made himself known and approached the duo from behind.  
  
"You think your stupid X-club can go up against the Brotherhood?" said Blob.  
  
Scott and Jean remained undaunted by the presence of the two mutants, but they were beginning to worry about what this confrontation was leading up to. They both seemed bent on an all out melee.  
  
"Look, we don't wanna fight. Not here, not now," said Jean  
  
"Well that's too bad girly, cause we're not leavin' till we get a little payback," replied Freddy cracking his knuckles.  
  
Just then, four others joined the tense situation.  
  
"Back off big boy," said Evan as he, Rogue, Kurt, and Kitty came up behind them.  
  
"I think you guys are outnumbered now," said Kitty with smirk.  
  
This time, it was Todd and Fred who were surrounded. They showed a bit more concern this time since they couldn't defeat them as a whole last time.  
  
"Now are you gonna leave, or is this going to get ugly?" said Scott.  
  
"We're not leaving," said a new voice. It was Lance followed by Wanda and Pietro.  
  
"Oh, great the whole party's here," said Rogue as she and Wanda exchanged glances.  
  
"You think you guys are so hot? Well now this party's gonna rock," said Lance as he prepared to cause a little tremor to get things going.  
  
Both the Brotherhood and the X-men looked poised to fight it out, but just then Principle Kelly stepped in, for he had seen this incident escalate from afar.  
  
"Hey! What is going one here?" yelled Kelly as he stepped in between the two opposing groups.  
  
"Nothing that concerns you," responded Pietro.  
  
"Oh I think it definitely concerns me Mr. Maximoff," replied Principle Kelly in an angry, authoritative tone. "This is on school grounds and I will not tolerate any fighting! If you have a problem with that you can discuss in detention after I inform your guardian!"  
  
That did it, for the Brotherhood knew that if Mystique found out about this she would be furious. Kelly didn't scare them, but Mystique was another story. After this they appeared to stand down.  
  
"Now, are we gonna have a problem?" said Principle Kelly.  
  
"No...We're not," said Lance bitterly. "Come on guys, let's go."  
  
The Brotherhood then walked off, but not after sending angry glances back towards the X-men. After they were out of sight, Kelly addressed the X- men.  
  
"I don't care what kind of influence Xavier has...But I will not allow you all to act above the rules. Now I'm going to let you all off with a warning this time, but rest assured...I will be keeping an eye on all of you."  
  
Principle Kelly's voice was stern and full of anger. He didn't seem to care that it wasn't them who had started the fight. As he walked off, he looked back at them with great suspicion...And the rest of the X-men could sense it.  
  
"Looks like we made a friend," commented Evan sarcastically.  
  
************************************************************************ Back at the mansion the Professor had been told of the incident with the Brotherhood earlier. It was far too close to being an all out fight in broad daylight. Xavier hadn't told them the Brotherhood was going to be there, but he didn't know Mystique would send them there himself. It was the first big challenge that they would have to face outside of the mansion. As they all gathered in the living room to discuss it, there was still a great sense of uncertainty among them.  
  
"So what do we do about it now Professor?" asked Kitty. "They're not going to stop hounding us."  
  
"Yeah, and from the looks of it, they couldn't care less if mutants were exposed to the world," added Rogue.  
  
"Yeah not to mention Principle Kelly. It's only been the first day and ve're already on his bad side," said Kurt.  
  
The Professor looked at each one of his students. He briefly contemplated his response, for he knew they now looked up to him for all their answers.  
  
"The issue of the Brotherhood is not one to be taken lightly," said the Professor. "They may very well indeed try to pick more fights in the future. I'm proud that you all showed restrained in using your powers against them, but in the future you may be tempted a lot more. Given your circumstances, I believe you all handled it well in not letting the situation erupt in to a fight. Today was your first big challenge and there is no doubt that more, even greater challenges await. But I have great confidence in all of you and I trust you all that you will make the right decisions, for the future of mutants may very well depend on it."  
  
The rest of the students couldn't help but be moved by the Professor's words, he had shown them so much and now they had to put what he had taught them all to good use.  
  
"That's a lot to trust us with Professor, but I think we can do it...That's what makes us X-men," said Scott.  
  
************************************************************************ Back at the Brotherhood, Mystique had found out about their little fight. Needless to say, she was a lot more unforgiving than the Professor.  
  
"You IDIOTS!" yelled Mystique as the teens sat wearily in the living room. "I told you all NOT to engage them in school and what do you do? YOU PICK A DAMN FIGHT!"  
  
"Hey, it's not our fault Myst..." began Lance, but he was immediately cut off.  
  
"YES IT WAS! Don't insult me, I saw everything!" bellowed the angry shape- shifter.  
  
"So what do you expect us to do huh? Just sit around and watch them? After what they did to us?" said Pietro defiantly.  
  
Mystique gave the speed demon a stern glare that would've melted steel.  
  
"For now, yes...Get to know them," said Mystique addressing all of them now. "It is vital that you all know your enemy, because when the time comes to face them again...You all had better be ready. And rest assured that time will come soon...Very soon."  
  
************************************************************************ AN: Stay tuned! The beginning of some major love triangles is coming in the next few chapters. And stay tuned if you want to know what Mystique meant by those last words. And don't forget to review! Send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Until next time, best wishes to you all.  
  
STOP!!! LOOK!!! REVIEW!!! 


	16. Growing Pains

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 15: Growing Pains  
  
This chapter coincides with the beginning of the second season. I know it's a little different, but remember this is an AU. It also fast-forwards a bit a couple of months so please bare with me on that. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
And also, I'd like to send out a special thanks to Wen, who has been a loyal reviewer of this story since it's inception. This is for you pal! You rock!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
It had been few months since the students from the Xavier Institute had attended their first day of school. By now they had settled in to normal, teenage lives quite nicely when just a year ago they were digging through garbage cans for food. Each student had found their own certain niche in school by now and had grown use to the day to day task of being both teenagers and mutants. Overall their grades were good, they all had made new friends, and kept their dark past to themselves.  
  
Scott and Jean had grown in popularity because of their rising status as athletes. Scott had done wonders on the track and field team while Jean became the captain of the soccer team. Because of this popularity, they had attracted numerous others in terms of the opposite sex, but so far they hadn't done much with it because they were not use to such attention. Kurt and Kitty had made new friends as well and had become an active participant in drama clubs. Evan had found his own bunch of skateboarding buddies that he now hung out with. However, some things about them didn't change too much. Rogue was still the same introvert she had always been, but now she had a friend that she spent a lot of time with. Her name was Risty and they had a lot in common, but Rogue was still forced to keep many secrets from her about her mutation. The rest of her friends accepted Risty and didn't give her a hard time.  
  
It wasn't all fun and games however. Tensions between the Brotherhood and the X-men had grown a great deal. Outside of school some of these encounters erupted in to all out skirmishes. In school the growing rivalry between them only complicated things further. Most of the time they only exchanged death glances, but sometimes it became more confrontational. Evan and Pietro were always challenging each other in classes and more often then not they had to be broken up before they started an all out fight. Rogue and Wanda also developed a major rivalry after their first day. However Lance was the exception when it came to all this. Over the last few months he had developed feelings for Kitty Pryde and often avoided up front confrontation with the rest of her friends. However, a growing frustration developed because it seemed that her friend Kurt Wagner never left her side long enough to make his move.  
  
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The crowds cheer erupted from the soccer field as the Bayville Hawks stole the ball with less than a minute to play.  
  
"AND WITH THE SCORE TIED HERE LATE IN THE SECOND HALF IT SEEMS THIS MAY BE THE GAME RIGHT HERE FOLKS!" blared the announcer over the speakers.  
  
Jean Grey was setting herself up down the center of the field as her team drove deep in to the other side's defense.  
  
"Come on Jean, come on," said Scott from the stands, who had yet to miss one of Jean's games.  
  
There were now 15 seconds left as Jean's teammate, Taryn, sent the ball in her direction. Now it was just her and two other defenders. Now there were 10 seconds left on the clock. With speed and skill she faked one defender out...7 seconds left. Upon faking her way to the right, she got past the other defender...3 seconds left. Jean then kicked the ball towards the goal as the last few seconds ticked by.  
  
"GOAL!!! HAWKS WIN! HAWKS WIN!"  
  
"YES! Way to go Jean!" yelled Scott from the stands.  
  
The crowds cheered and Jean's team gathered around to congratulate her. In the jubilant stands she saw Scott sitting near the top of the stands. She waved to him and smiled as her team made their way off the field. Scott was about to head down to meet her, when somebody else beat him to the punch.  
  
"Hey Jean, over here!" said a voice from the lower part of the stands.  
  
It was the voice of Duncan Matthews, the star quarterback of the football team that had been eyeing Jean since the beginning of the year. Jean hesitated slightly before heading towards him.  
  
"Go on Jean, its Duncan!" urged a few of her teammates who would have done anything to be called by Duncan Matthews, the richest and most popular boy in school.  
  
Unable to walk away, Jean approached the star football player.  
  
"Nice game there Jean! Come on, why don't you come with me and some friends and celebrate," said Duncan flashing one of his star smiles.  
  
"Uh...Okay," said Jean still hesitant, but unable to say no due to the peer pressure of her friends.  
  
Scott was taken aback as he watched Jean walk off with Duncan and his crew. He had heard about Duncan Matthews from other girls and had picked up some comments he said about her in the past. His ears didn't lie to him when they told him that this kid was trouble. He was known for being very spoiled and egocentric. Scott had also seen Duncan developing a grudge against him every time he was around Jean. Knowing what he knew, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Duncan was probably after in pursuing Jean.  
  
"Hey! Earth the Scott, are you there!" said Kurt as he came up behind him.  
  
"Oh, hey Kurt," said Scott as he slightly came to his senses.  
  
"Well is Jean coming or not?" asked Kurt.  
  
Scott looked back at the crowd and saw Jean walking off with Duncan's posse and a few of her soccer teammates.  
  
"No...I guess not," said Scott plainly trying not to show his disappointment.  
  
"Oh," said Kurt as he saw what Scott was looking at. "Sorry man."  
  
"No, it's no big deal. This is her time to shine," said Scott changing his tone a little, but still weary. "Where's Kitty?"  
  
"Vaiting for us. Come on let's go!" said Kurt.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Kitty just finished saying goodbye to some friends of hers as she went to meet up with Kurt and Scott. However, she was soon greeted by a familiar presence.  
  
"Hey pretty Kitty," said Lance as he came up to her from seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
"Well if it isn't the walking Richter Scale," said Kitty in an exasperated tone.  
  
Lance had been pursuing her for nearly a month now. He was still a part of the Brotherhood so it was hard to believe him, however Kitty had been noticing that he was following his comrades less in the field lately. She also knew she couldn't help but be attracted to his bad boy charm despite his allegiance.  
  
"So where's blue boy? I notice he's not pestering you now," said Lance always vigilant of Kitty's ever-present bodyguard, Kurt.  
  
"First of all, Kurt doesn't pester me. And second, what do want Lance?" said Kitty.  
  
"Oh come on, is it illegal to have a decent conversation with you. We know what's going to happen Kitty. I show up, you insult me, I take it, yet we keep talking. So why not just skip the whole routine this time because we know how it's gonna end," said Lance.  
  
Kitty was left speechless after Lance's little speech. Although she didn't agree with it, she couldn't really disagree with what he was saying. There was some truth in Lance's words. Lance quickly picked up on Kitty's disposition and decided to use it to his advantage.  
  
"Hey Kitty, watch this," he said cockily as he looked towards the soccer coach who was carrying a couple of large boxes with sports equipment.  
  
Lance rolled his eyes back as he started to cause a minor tremor around them. Some of the surrounding students began to wearily notice this. Kitty was about to ask Lance to stop when one of the students near the coach stumbled towards him and spilled soda all over his shirt, causing him to drop the boxes. As soon as the shaking stopped most of the students started to laugh at the thoroughly pissed-off coach.  
  
"Why you...DROP AND GIVE ME 50 KID!" yelled the coach at the kid who spilled soda on him.  
  
Kitty couldn't help but laugh even though she tried to hide it. This wasn't a very popular coach, nor a very liked gym teacher so it was hard not to laugh.  
  
"See Kitty, you're laughing," said Lance with a grin.  
  
Kitty stopped, but still couldn't wipe the smirk off her face. "That was, like, so immature...But I guess it was kinda funny."  
  
Lance felt his had triumphed in a way as he watched her smile and he could tell it would be harder to hate him when he made her laugh. Just then, another voice cut in.  
  
"Hey Kitty, over here!" yelled Kurt as Scott pulled his car up towards the front.  
  
"Oh, there's my ride. I guess I'll see you later Lance," said Kitty as she ran off towards the car.  
  
"Yeah...See ya," said Lance who couldn't stop grinning.  
  
As Kitty hopped in to the car, Kurt wearily looked back at whom she had been talking to. It was Lance again much to his dismay.  
  
"Vhat vere you doing talking to Lance?" asked Kurt immediately as Kitty got in.  
  
"Just talking that's all," said Kitty causally.  
  
"About vhat?"  
  
"Jeez Kurt why the sudden interrogation?" said Kitty sounding noticeably irked.  
  
"Well...Maybe because Lance is from the Brotherhood?" responded Kurt, trying to get her to realized the obvious.  
  
"Come on Kurt, he's really not such a bad guy once you get to know him," said Kitty.  
  
"Yeah vell..." but soon Scott cut in, not liking where this conversation was heading.  
  
"Guys, don't fight now. We've got a major training session in the Danger Room later. You can fight afterwards," remarked Scott.  
  
They stopped after hearing that, for neither of them wanted to go any further. Because whenever it involved Lance, Kurt and Kitty always seemed to fight about it.  
  
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Later that evening Scott rested in his room after the intense Danger Room session. It didn't go as smoothly for him because of one major reason...Jean wasn't there. She didn't come back from the victory party with her friends after her game and he started to get worried. It had lasted a lot longer than previously thought, but that's not what was really bothering Scott.  
  
As he busied himself with homework trying to put his fears to rest, he felt Jean's presence near his door.  
  
"Scott?" said Jean as she walked in.  
  
"Hey Jean...How was the party?" asked Scott casually doing his best to hide his feelings towards it.  
  
"Well, it was great..." then she paused for a brief moment as if she was contemplating how she was going to say what was to come next, "Duncan asked me out."  
  
Scott felt a sharp surge of anxiety and angst wash over him upon hearing those words. It was as if somebody had just sent a painful jolt of electricity through his entire system.  
  
"What?" said Scott in response for a lack of better words.  
  
"Duncan Matthews asked me out. The most popular boy in school asked me...Jean Grey, the girl who people use to throw rocks at in elementary school, out on a date," said Jean still dumbstruck by the whole thing.  
  
"And what'd you say?" asked Scott wearily, for he felt he already knew the answer.  
  
"I said yes," responded Jean plainly.  
  
Scott didn't know how to respond after that. Neither of them could have anticipated something like this happening before. Neither of them thought they would even be a part of a real crowd because of their own personal insecurities and their lack of opportunities in life. However, all that had changed now. If it was anybody else other than Duncan Matthews, this would've been much easier for the both of them. But nothing had ever been easy for Scott and Jean.  
  
"Are you sure about him Jean?" said Scott finally breaking the silence.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing it's just...I've heard things about Duncan Matthews and well...I just don't want you getting hurt, that's all," said Scott trying to sound sincere instead of worried.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that Scott. He's told me how people make these big assumptions about him just because he's popular."  
  
"And you believe him?"  
  
"Well...Yeah," said Jean, but with a noticeable amount of uncertainty in her voice. In her mind she kind of wanted to believe him from the start, even though her instincts were telling her otherwise. "Look, I just wanted to let you know and also to say I'm sorry about missing the Danger Room session earlier. I had no idea the party would go on that long."  
  
"It's okay, it's your time to shine Jean, so don't worry about the Danger Room. However, I don't know if Logan will be so understanding."  
  
"Yeah, I kinda figured that," said Jean with a mild laugh. "Well, I'd better get going on my homework. Thanks for listening."  
  
"That's what I'm here for Jean."  
  
She smiled warmly at him before she left, but it didn't help calm Scott's fears about Duncan. He let out a deep sigh as he closed his books and collapsed on his bed. He didn't know where this whole issue was going to lead with Duncan and it didn't sit well with him as he tried to sleep. Only time would tell.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Come on guys let's go!" yelled Scott as he grabbed his keys and waited near the door for the others.  
  
Just then Logan walked by looking a bit more irked than usual.  
  
"Hey Logan, have you seen Jean?"  
  
"Yeah...Some kid came by and picked her up a few minutes ago. She told me his name was Duncan," grunted Logan who didn't seem too happy about it.  
  
"Oh," said Scott who was sort of disheartened by this news.  
  
"Somethin' didn't smell right about that kid...Keep an eye on him Cyke, I don't trust him."  
  
"Neither do I," said Scott.  
  
************************************************************************ Jean shifted uncomfortably in Duncan Matthews' car. He had unexpectedly driven up to the institute and offered her a ride to school.  
  
"So you live in a mansion? Man your folks must be loaded Jean," said Duncan as he drove away from the institute.  
  
"It's not a mansion...It's more of a boarding school," replied Jean not wanting to tell him too much about the institute.  
  
"A boarding school for what?" asked Duncan growing a bit confused.  
  
"It's in the name, a boarding school for gifted youngsters. I live there with my friends Scott, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue."  
  
"Oh, so you're gifted?" asked Duncan with a bit of intrigue. "In what way might I ask?"  
  
"Well that's my little secret," said Jean with a smirk trying to get him to drop it.  
  
"Oh a secret...Well then I'm gonna have to find out what it is one day," said Duncan confidently.  
  
Jean felt a little anxious over that last comment. She hoped that she wasn't getting in over her head with this whole situation.  
  
************************************************************************ Without Jean, the drive to school had been unusually quiet for Scott. Kurt, Kitty, and Evan talked for much of the way, but Scott didn't partake at all. Rogue, who usually said nothing anyway, picked up on this.  
  
"Kinda quiet today Scott," said Rogue.  
  
"Yeah well...I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," replied Scott even though he knew that was a bogus excuse.  
  
"No duh...Since when have any of us ever gotten a decent night sleep?" replied Rogue not believing Scott's excuse.  
  
"Good point," said Scott in a defeated tone.  
  
Scott didn't say anything after that, he was still too busy thinking.  
  
"Its Jean isn't it?" asked Rogue breaking Scott's train of thought.  
  
"What gave you that idea?" said Scott trying to sound as if he was shocked by her assumption.  
  
Rogue only sighed. She should have known that Scott wouldn't want to say much about something this touchy. Especially when it involved Jean Grey.  
  
"Fine, if ya wanna be that way, go ahead," said Rogue.  
  
Scott was about to say something in response, but Rogue then made it clear that she didn't want to go any further. He could only sigh as his thoughts returned to Jean. Rogue wasn't psychic, but she could tell what Scott was thinking about. Almost everybody in the car knew it...That is, except Scott.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
As the time for first period drew closer, Kitty Pryde headed towards her locker to get her books for English. But as she opened up her locker, she noticed a small slip of paper fall out. Curious, she picked it up and read it.  
  
'Kitty, call me sometimes and maybe we can talk. 555-9364. Lance A.'  
  
"Vhat's that Kitty," said Kurt as he came up from behind her.  
  
"Nothing," said Kitty with a small smile as she stuffed it in her pocket. "Come on Kurt, let's get to class before Principle Kelly goes ballistic."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
As Scott walked across the outside part of the Bayville campus, he was still full of worry. He trusted Jean fully to make the right decisions, but Duncan was another story. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar female voice.  
  
"Scott...Hey Scott, wait up!"  
  
Scott turned around to see the voice belonging to one of Jean's friends and soccer teammates, Taryn.  
  
"Hey Taryn. If you're looking for Jean I..." but Scott was cut off before he could finish.  
  
"Actually, I didn't want to talk to Jean. I wanted to talk to you," said Taryn with a strange, flirtatious tone in her voice.  
  
"Oh," said Scott a little dumbstruck.  
  
Scott had met Taryn on the first day of school when she bumped in to him and made some offhand comments about his glasses. Since then, Scott didn't talk to her that much even though she had become a good friend with Jean. Unknown to the both of them, however, Jean Grey was watching this scene unfold from a distance. Jean had wanted to talk to Scott about Duncan since last night, but now that wasn't the most pressing issue on her mind anymore. Now she was thinking, what on Earth was Taryn doing with Scott and why did she have that strange look in her eye? Eagerly, Jean watched the two as the scene unfolded before her.  
  
"Listen Scott, I don't think I ever really apologized to you after that little 'incident' on the first day," said Taryn sheepishly.  
  
"Oh that...Well, it's really no big deal," said Scott who never really took that incident that seriously in the first place since. He had heard much worse in the past anyway.  
  
"Thanks Scott..." she said relieved by Scott's forgiveness. "So...Can I ask you one thing?  
  
"Uh...Sure."  
  
"What color are your eyes?"  
  
"My eyes...Well, brown if you must know," said Scott seeing no harm in it, but getting a bit weary at what Taryn was getting at.  
  
"Brown...They must really be something," said Taryn sounding more flirtatious by the second, which was definitely giving Jean a severe anxiety attack.  
  
Then, to Jean's relief, she heard the warning bell ring for first period.  
  
"There's the bell. Well, I guess I'll see you later then Taryn," said Scott as he started to walk away.  
  
"Scott wait," said Taryn.  
  
Scott turned around once again while Jean still listened.  
  
"Do you...Wanna do something after school later today? Just the two of us?" said Taryn in a suggestive manner.  
  
Jean felt she was going to have a heart attack after that. Is Taryn asking Scott out on a date? How could she? They were supposed to be friends.  
  
Scott was almost as equally shocked. Taryn seemed to be a nice girl and all, but he couldn't help but hesitate. Should he say yes? What could the harm in it be? But then he had a strange nagging feeling, a feeling that kept telling him that this wasn't right somehow...A feeling that he couldn't ignore.  
  
"Um...Thanks for offer Taryn, but I don't think I should," said Scott finally.  
  
"Why not?" replied Taryn with noticeable disappointment in her voice.  
  
Scott let out a deep sigh, knowing that this was probably the right choice for him. But there was still another side of him asking why he was doing this. Jean was going out with Duncan, why shouldn't he go out with Taryn?  
  
"I...Just don't think I can," said Scott being as truthful as he could.  
  
"Is there somebody else?" asked Taryn.  
  
Scott hesitated before answering this one, which confirmed it for Taryn.  
  
"I...It's complicated Taryn. Look, you seem like a really nice girl, but I can't," said Scott.  
  
"Well, if you ever change your mind...Call me. I'll see you later Scott," said Taryn with a sigh of disappointment. After that she left and Scott soon followed suite, heading towards his first class.  
  
Jean couldn't help but feel relieved by seeing this, but she felt it was for all the wrong reasons. Scott had turned down Taryn, but she didn't turn down Duncan. What did that make her? Did she make the right decision in going out with him? Why did it feel just so wrong in many ways? Jean tried to clear her head as she walked off to class still thinking about this. She and Scott were always the best of friends and in the times they had known each other it had grown noticeably deeper. Jean owed her life to Scott in many ways. They had both been through so much together and they knew each other so well from the experiences on the street. Neither of them could imagine life without each other. Suddenly Jean felt her thoughts might be confirming what she feared from the start, in that she had made a mistake in agreeing going out with Duncan Matthews.  
  
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AN: Well, things have just gotten a little more complicated for both couples. Stay tuned to see these love triangles develop because they are both far from over! Don't forget to review this story! Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me directly at slickboy444@aol.com. Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
WAIT! YOU STILL HAVE TO REVIEW! 


	17. Complications

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 16: Complications  
  
AN: Thank you so much everybody! I now have over 100 reviews on this story! You all rule! There is still a lot more to come so please keep on sending your reviews!  
  
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Jean Grey had continued to go out with Duncan Matthews for the past three weeks much to Scott's dismay. He watched as they were dubbed Bayville's new power couple and saw how Duncan liked to openly flaunt their relationship for no other reason then feeding his hungry ego. Jean didn't talk much about Duncan around her friends, whenever they bought it up she would change the subject. When Jean was seen with Duncan in school she seemed somewhat anxious, but content none-the-less. She was still star- struck that the most popular boy in school found her so attractive after years of being made fun of by others. For Scott he only grew more worried as Jean spent more and more time with Duncan. Although he tried not to show it, Scott still disliked the stuck-up boy with a passion. The rest of his friends, especially Logan, felt the same.  
  
Kitty Pryde had also been getting more heavily involved with a certain boy lately, but it wasn't Kurt. Ever since Lance slipped his phone number in her locker Kitty had been calling Lance on a regular basis and tonight was no exception.  
  
"Oh my god! I can't believe he did that!" exclaimed Kitty as she listened to Lance talk about some of the humorous things that happened to him and the Brotherhood.  
  
"Yeah, it was pretty cool," replied Lance.  
  
"Cool...Gross is more like it," said Kitty.  
  
"Come on, its Toad for crying out loud. He's always like that."  
  
"Well I think he needs to find a better way to impress Wanda instead of showing her how many bugs he can stuff in his mouth."  
  
"What can I say, he doesn't have the same sense of romance as I do."  
  
"Oh and what makes you so sure about that?"  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know..."  
  
Kitty couldn't help but laugh at Lance's words. Over the last few weeks she couldn't help but grow more attracted to Lance and his bad boy charm. Even though they never really saw eye to eye on many things and didn't have a lot in common with each other, she continued to talk to him.  
  
"Listen Kitty," said Lance over the phone with a more serious tone, "I..."  
  
Just then a loud knock was heard on Kitty's door.  
  
"Hey half-pint are you still on the phone! It's been over an hour! Other people gotta make some calls too ya know!" bellowed Logan.  
  
"Sorry Lance, I have to go," said Kitty.  
  
"Oh, well I guess I'll see you later," replied Lance with disappointment.  
  
"Yeah, see ya."  
  
After that they both hung up. Lance sighed in frustration as he put the phone away.  
  
"Still looking to catch a certain Kitty up a tree?" said Pietro as he past by Lance.  
  
"Shut up Quicksilver. She's warming up to me. It's only a matter of time now," said Lance with a confident grin as he headed back to his room.  
  
After Kitty had hung up the phone she went down to the kitchen for a snack. As she fixed herself a sandwich, Kurt teleported in right next to her.  
  
"Whoa! Kurt don't do that you scared me," said Kitty as she turned around to meet her best friend.  
  
"Sorry Kitty. But who vere you talking on the phone with? You were on it for over an hour," replied Kurt.  
  
He kind of knew the answer already, but that didn't make him feel any better about it.  
  
"Nobody in particular," said Kitty casually as she went back to making her sandwich.  
  
Kurt just sighed. "It vas Lance again vasn't it?"  
  
"Kurt, why do you have to give me such a hard time about him? Okay, it was him...We were just talking," replied Kitty in a defensive tone.  
  
"For an hour," reminded Kurt.  
  
"Well I guess we both just lost track of time."  
  
Kurt just sighed as he moved closer to Kitty with a look of concern on his face.  
  
"I don't trust him Kitty," said Kurt plainly.  
  
"Well obviously," replied Kitty who knew this all too well.  
  
"Then vhy do you still pursue him?"  
  
"Kurt, I don't pursue him, he talks to me."  
  
"The vhy do you talk back?"  
  
"Kurt...What is the matter with me hanging out with Lance!?" exclaimed Kitty in a frustrated tone.  
  
"He's in the Brotherhood Kitty! That's vhy!"  
  
There was a brief pause between them. Kitty wanted to respond, but she knew she couldn't do it truthfully. Every time she talked to Lance, she tried to make herself forget that he was in the Brotherhood. She lied to herself about him, but she kept ignoring it.  
  
"I know that, Kurt. I know your just looking out for me and I'm grateful for that. But just give him a chance Kurt...Please."  
  
Kurt could never get past looking in to Kitty's eyes. Every time he did he just couldn't say no to her when she was being serious. But it was still Lance...And Kurt didn't trust him.  
  
"I don't know if I can give him a chance Kitty...Not vhen it involves you. But if you don't want me to pry...I can't promise I won't, but I vill still try. As long as it makes you happy," said Kurt as he struggled through his words.  
  
"Thanks Kurt...It really means a lot to me."  
  
Kitty just smiled at her friend and he just smiled back.  
  
"Your velcome Kitty. I guess I'll see you in the morning...Good night."  
  
"Yeah...Good night Kurt."  
  
After that he ported back to his room. Kitty couldn't help but notice a subtle tone of sadness when he spoke to her now. She knew it had to do with Lance, but she wasn't sure why. Kurt was her best friend in the world and it pained her to see him like this. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty for spending more time with Lance and less time with Kurt. Lance was something she never expected to happen, and the more Kitty thought about it the guiltier she felt. Lance made her feel different in many ways. Some were good and some were bad, but all in all it was hurting her friendship with Kurt. Lately her feelings for Kurt had been growing deeper. She never wanted to hurt him...Ever. But now things had just gotten so complicated she just didn't know what to do.  
  
After Kurt appeared back in his room, he immediately collapsed on his bed and just stared off in to space. Seeing his best friend drifting away from him was like having a part of himself drift away with it. He held Kitty so close to his heart he couldn't imagine being alive without her. Slowly, his gaze drifted towards the mirror. He looked at his blue, furry complexion and looked away in disgust.  
  
'How could she ever love me? I'm a monster...I'm a demon."  
  
A tear rolled down Kurt Wagner's furry cheek, for there was no more denying how much he was in love with Kitty Pryde.  
  
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It was around noon on a Friday as Jean Grey began to walk towards her friends at lunch. She saw Scott wave at her and she smiled as she began to walk towards him, but then another voice started to call her.  
  
"Hey babe, over here!" yelled Duncan from another table at the far end of the cafeteria.  
  
She looked back towards Scott's direction and back at Duncan's. She wanted to sit with her friends today, not Duncan and his mindless goons.  
  
"Come on Jean I saved you a seat!" yelled Duncan again.  
  
Jean soon found herself walking back towards Duncan. Many other people looked at her with envy as she went to sit with the 'popular' crowd, but Jean didn't seem to care about that very much. Jean was distracted by Scott's feelings of disappointment she felt through her mind. Over the past few weeks those feelings were becoming more intense as she spent time with Duncan. They were too great to ignore, but it seemed that Duncan had no intentions of letting her leave at this point.  
  
"So Jean...My folks are going out of town for the weekend," said Duncan with a wry grin.  
  
"Oh...And what are you suggesting?" asked Jean in response.  
  
Duncan just looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"Suggesting? Jean you ought to know that whenever the adults go...It's party time for us!" exclaimed Duncan.  
  
"Yeah!" said the rest of his friends with excitement.  
  
"So you up for it tonight Jean? It's gonna be a blast!" said Duncan with great enthusiasm.  
  
"Well sure...It sounds like fun."  
  
"Great! I'll pick you up at six."  
  
"Actually, I can find my own ride," said Jean.  
  
"Fine, suite yourself," said Duncan as he went back to talking football with his buddies.  
  
Jean had never been to a real big party yet, but she had heard that Duncan always had the biggest parties at his house. To be invited to them was a huge deal. Jean didn't know what to expect from Duncan, but she felt it was too late now. It was exciting, but scary at the same time. She kept to herself for the rest of lunch even when Duncan moved in close to her and snaked his arm around her. Over the past few weeks he had been doing this, Jean grew more anxious with each time. When Duncan put his arms around her, she always felt a surge of discomfort and yearned to escape it. His arms were nothing like Scott's. When his arms were around her...It felt so right there, was no denying it. But if they were so right, why was she still with Duncan and not him? It had grown too complicated to think about.  
  
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After lunch let out, Scott walked past Duncan on his way to class. Duncan shot him a disdainful look, but Scott walked right past him. He wanted to get as far away as he could from him, but then his acute hearing picked up a conversation that couldn't be ignored.  
  
"So is Jean coming Dunc?"  
  
"Yeah, she's in. With any luck she'll finally put out by the end of the night."  
  
"Man you still haven't gotten any outta her?"  
  
"Nah, she's so damn prude it's annoying! She gets all weary with the slightest touch for some reason. But don't worry...After tonight I think that streak will end!"  
  
Scott fought the anger that boiled from within. He hadn't wanted to hear that, but it only confirmed what he feared with Duncan. Scott looked back in his direction with a look of great anger, but he kept it in...For now. He now knew he had to do something...Or Jean, the girl he cared for most, would get hurt and he would NOT let that happen.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Later that evening as the time before the party drew near, Scott scoured the large mansion for Logan. He shared Scott's distaste with Duncan and hoped that he would help him, but so far he was nowhere to be found. As Scott was heading towards the Danger Room to see if he was there, he passed Rogue sitting on the couch reading a book.  
  
"Hey Rogue, have you seen Logan?" asked Scott.  
  
"Nope, he left this morning on his bike," replied Rogue looking up from her book.  
  
"Do you know when he'll be back?"  
  
"Hell I don't know. You know how Logan is. Why are ya lookin' for him in the first place?"  
  
Scott just sighed as he took a seat at the other end of the couch.  
  
"I was hoping he'd help me with something."  
  
"And what might that be?" asked Rogue.  
  
"Just...A problem. That's all."  
  
Rogue could tell by the tone in his voice that it probably had to do with Jean. Only she could make Scott look that anxious.  
  
"This wouldn't have anything to do with Jean now would it?"  
  
"Yeah...I guess I can't hide that around you guys now can I?" said Scott with a small laugh.  
  
"Nah, I've known you long enough to know how ya feel about her."  
  
Scott looked at her with an anxious look.  
  
"Man was I that obvious?"  
  
"Trust me ya both were. It doesn't take a genius to see that you two are crazy about each other," replied Rogue.  
  
Scott was at a loss for words after that. If they had been so obvious, why did it get so complicated between them? And how did he know if Jean really felt the same about him?  
  
"It's just been so crazy lately...You know with her and Duncan."  
  
"So what. Duncan is a jerk and an asshole. Everybody knows that," said Rogue.  
  
"Except Jean," mused Scott softly. "He invited her to a party tonight at his house with his parents out of town. But that's not what bothers me...What bothers me is a little conversation I overheard between Duncan and one of his friends."  
  
"What do ya mean?" asked Rogue who was already weary of the answer, for she had a good idea what it might be.  
  
Scott didn't want to repeat it...It only made him more worried for Jean in the end, but he had to tell someone. "Duncan's plans for Jean are...Well, not very honorable and...I'm just afraid he'll...Hurt her."  
  
Rogue could tell Scott was struggling with those final words, knowing they bought back some bad memories for all of them.  
  
"I just don't know what to do. I mean...How can I tell her this...Because I know she won't believe me until it's too late."  
  
"What makes ya say that?"  
  
"Rogue, I know Jean through and through. My brain says to warn her, but my gut says she won't believe me and just think I'm jealous," said Scott exasperated by his options.  
  
"That...A real dilemma Scott. It seems yer damned either way," replied Rogue at a loss for better words.  
  
"I know...I just wish I knew what to do."  
  
Rogue sighed as she was beginning to feel the anxiety that her friend was feeling.  
  
"I don't know what to tell ya Scott...Ya know I ain't the best person to talk to with problems like this. But if ya need wanna know what I think ya should do...I think ya should just follow yer instinct on this. It's served ya well when we were all down on our luck and I think ya should trust it. I'm sorry but that's the best advice I think I can give ya fer now."  
  
Scott looked over at Rogue contemplating what she just said. Follow his instincts...So simple, yet so complicated. He suddenly felt his nerves calm upon thinking about this. Suddenly he looked over at the clock...It was about time for him to take Jean to the party.  
  
"I gotta go now. Thanks Rogue, I owe you one!" said Scott as he got up and rushed out of the room  
  
Rogue was left slightly dumbfounded. She saw Scott's face light up upon hearing her advice to follow his instinct for some reason. She didn't think that would be the right thing to say, but apparently...It was.  
  
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Jean sat in her room brushing her hair as she got ready for the big party. Duncan had made a big deal out of this in wanting her to go, but it still made her nervous thinking about it. Ever since she and Duncan started 'going out' she had come to know that he wasn't the guy everybody said he was. He was often rude, obnoxious, and egocentric. However he was still the big school football star that everybody admired. And he liked 'her.' However, Jean wasn't sure if she really liked him. Ever since her soccer friends pushed her in to going out with him, it had put a strain on the one thing she treasured most...Her friendship with Scott. She looked at one of the pictures of her and Scott on her dresser that was taken not long after they joined the institute. He had her arms around her, she had hers around him, and she was happy. She looked at herself in the mirror now and there was no deny it...She wasn't happy with Duncan.  
  
"Jean...Are you ready to go?" said Scott from behind her closed bedroom door.  
  
She looked back in the mirror, but soon her eyes drifted back to the picture of her and Scott. She quickly calmed herself down and took deep breaths.  
  
"Yeah I'm ready."  
  
Jean then grabbed her jacket and prepared herself for the night ahead of her.  
  
"You look beautiful," said Scott with a smile as she opened the door.  
  
"Thanks," replied Jean as she smiled back at him and blushed.  
  
Scott could feel the anxiety within Jean grow. He didn't know how, but he could feel it. It worried him to no end, but he felt that now wasn't the best time to talk to her about it. Scott was anxious too, but he hoped that his instincts would guide him well tonight...He hope so for Jean's sake.  
  
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AN: Uh oh, what's gonna happen? How's the party gonna end? Stay tuned to find out as things heat up for the X-men. Also, don't forget to review! Send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Thanks for reading and until next time, best wishes to you all!  
  
MUST HAVE REVIEWS!!! MUST HAVE REVIEWS!!! 


	18. Party Gone Wrong

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 17: Party Gone Wrong**

* * *

As Scott and Jean rode in the car towards Duncan Matthew's house, there was an unusual silence between the two friends. This whole party deal left both of them with some mixed feelings. Scott didn't like the fact that it was Duncan throwing the party, for it would be much less an issue if it was somebody else. Jean was also on edge because she had never even been to a real 'party' before and did not know what to expect. Ever since she hooked up with Duncan, she had come to realize the true nature of his character and it was far from honorable. Duncan had been complicating things between her friends, her family, and worst of all Scott. At this point Jean wished she could just erase her association with Duncan all together.

"You okay over there Jean? You look a bit on edge," said Scott breaking her train of thought.

"That would be an big understatement," muttered Jean in reply.

"Wanna talk about it?" said Scott hoping it wasn't too late to call this off.

Jean only sighed. Should she tell him? How could she?

"I guess it's just this whole party in general. It's kind of got me spooked for some reason," said Jean knowing it wasn't the whole truth.

"What's there to be spooked about?" asked Scott even though he felt his knew the answer.

"...I don't know Scott. It's just...Duncan isn't the guy I thought he was. He's really not who he makes himself out to be."

"Well, why don't you tell him that? Or break up with him if he isn't somebody you like being with?" asked Scott trying to use logic over his own personal feelings for Jean.

"I...It's complicated Scott."

Jean only sighed in frustration as the stress of simply thinking about it was almost too much for her. Then, Scott reached over and held her hand hoping to comfort her like he had so many times before.

"It'll be okay Jean...I promise," said Scott softly.

Jean felt her nerves calm upon feeling Scott's touch. It was so...Right. She wanted to keep holding his hand, but they had arrived at their destination. Scott pulled up near the front door of the large, expensive house that was already booming with loud music from within.

"So...I guess I'll pick you up at 11?" said Scott at a loss for better words.

"Yeah...That sounds good. Well, I'll see you later tonight," replied Jean with a smile towards him.

"Okay then, have fun Jean," said Scott before he drove off.

As Jean walked up to the house, Scott waved back at her hoping she would be safe.

"What were you doing with Summers back there? I don't remember inviting him!" demanded Duncan as Jean entered the house.

"He gave me a ride okay!" said Jean taken aback at Duncan's harsh tone towards her best friend.

"Whatever, forget him. As long as he doesn't stick around this party will stay loser free!"

Jean fought back the anger she felt brewing within as Duncan continued to insult Scott for no reason other than the fact that he gave her a ride and he was her best friend. She had a powerful urge to yell at him for his words, but he had already started dragging her towards the living room that was already booming with loud dance music and crowded with dozens of people.

"Yeah! Soak it up Jean, is this a party or what!" exclaimed Duncan as he stepped in to the crowded room.

Jean gradually felt herself ease out of the early anxiety ever so briefly, but she still had a few lingering fears. She tried not to let it show as she started to talk to a few friends of hers.

"Hey Jean, glad you could make it!" said Taryn as Jean approached her.

Jean hadn't liked to talk to Taryn much ever since that incident between her and Scott, but she had no reason to judge and no inclination to show any of her resentment.

"Yeah, this is some party," said Jean trying not to make it too obvious that this was her first.

"It's okay...But from what I've been told, the real fun has yet to begin!"

Just as Jean was about ask what she meant by that, a large cheer erupted from the crowd as six of Duncan's football buddies came in to the room carrying large metal beer kegs. Duncan immediately ran over and triumphantly stood before them.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...LET THE REAL PARTY BEGIN!" yelled Duncan as he slammed back the first shot of beer to the cheers of the crowd.

While everybody cheered, Jean cringed at the fowl scent of liquor that had suddenly filled the air. She felt a surge of panic come over her as she saw Duncan and a crowd of others start to drink. Images and painful memories of her past with alcohol and her drunken father came screaming back through her mind. These were things she had forced herself to forget after all these years, but now they were back and worse then ever. She immediately wanted to get out of there, but her friends and Duncan looked like they weren't about to let it be that easy for her. As she tried to suppress the dark memories that were beginning to paralyze her, she immediately wished that she hadn't come and she deeply regretted not heeding Scott's earlier warning. Now she wished he were here.

* * *

As Scott sat on the hood of his car looking up at the stars, he couldn't stop worrying about Jean. The crystal clear night and the cool autumn breeze did little to calm the young mutant down. He had decided to stop on the way home at someplace quiet to clear his head, but so far it had only grown more cluttered with each passing second. He just couldn't stop thinking about Jean and worrying about what would happen to her.

Scott couldn't forget about Duncan's words from earlier that day. The thought of him actually trying something like that with Jean was almost too hard to think about. He wanted to tell Jean about what he had heard, but he knew she wouldn't believe him. She would just think that he was jealous...And it really wasn't too far from the truth. Ever since she hooked up with Duncan she had grown more distant from him. They still talked, but the ever-present thought of Duncan did little to keep either of their minds at ease. It tore him up inside...But he hid it. Scott knew he couldn't let Jean drift apart from him, she meant more to him than he could ever have realized. He loved her; it was that simple. They had been through hell on the streets and had stood by one another's side through it all. And they both owed their lives to each other in many ways.

"Jean..." he said aloud in to the sky as if he hoped she would hear him.

Suddenly, Scott felt a terrible sense of foreboding come over him. He then jumped in to the drivers seat of his car and sped off down the highway back towards Duncan's house. Something bad was going to happen to Jean, for he could feel it and he couldn't let that come to pass.

* * *

Duncan downed another cup of beer amidst the cheering crowd that was growing tipsier by the second. It seemed that everybody had taken advantage of the free-flowing beer offered from the party...Everybody that is, except Jean.

"I have to get out of here," said Jean from a corner that she had been staying in for the better part of the last half-hour.

"Hey Jean!" yelled one of her soccer friends. "Here, I got you a cup!"

Jean looked at the cup and the fowl scent soon filled the air now more than ever. She wanted to just run, but she had just become so tense it was as if her legs were totally paralyzed.

"Come on Jean, live a little!" said the girl in an overly happy voice as she shoved it in to her hand.

She then let out a drunken laugh as she went back out on the dance floor. As soon as she was gone Jean threw the cup of beer away and ran out of the room to find someplace quiet. Jean found herself in the adjacent room to the living room that looked to be a guest bedroom. She quickly closed the door and sat on the bed trying to catch her breath again.

"I can't stay here," said Jean as the anxiety in her head reached to new heights. "I can't..."

Suddenly, the door flung open and in to the room stumbled a drunk Duncan Matthews.

"Hey Jean...What cha doin' in here?" said Duncan in a slurred voice.

Scott pushed his car further as the bad feeling he had within grew ever more ominous. He was not far from Duncan's house now and the closer he got the worse he felt. There, he remembered what Rogue said about following his instincts and how they had proved right over the years they had spent on the streets. Now, Scott deeply hoped that his instincts were wrong about this and that Jean would be okay. However, he already felt that wasn't the case and he had to get to her as soon as possible before something terrible happened.

'It's okay Jean, I'm coming...I'll be there.'

"Duncan? Are you okay?" asked Jean wearily as he stumbled in closer towards her.

"Yeah...Never better!" replied Duncan as he slammed back another cup of beer. "What the hell are you doing in here babe? The party's out there!"

"I...Duncan I don't think I can stay any longer."

"Oh come on the party's just getting started! You can't leave now!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't be here anymore. I have to go."

"Why Jean? We've got everything here. We got music, food, beer..."

"That's just it Duncan! I didn't know there was going to be alcohol here! If there was I wouldn't have come here in the first place!" said Jean starting to get frustrated and anxious in the presence of a drunken boy.

"Oh come on! Don't be such a straight arrow! What's the matter with a little beer?"

"I...It's..." Jean stumbled, struggling to block out the dark memories of her drunken father and the terrible ways he used to beat her.

"You know something Jean...You need to loosen up," said Duncan in a half- incoherent tone.

Jean felt panic consume her as Duncan moved in near her.

"Look Duncan...We need to talk. I don't think that we..." but soon Jean was cut off as Duncan became more and more drunk.

"Talk! You're not breaking up with me NOW are you?" said Duncan in a slightly angrier tone.

"This isn't working and you know it! It hasn't worked from the start!" said Jean sternly trying to get the drunk teen to understand, but it didn't seem like it was working.

"Oh we can make it work Jeannie," said Duncan as if he hadn't heard Jean's tone. "If you don't loosen up...I'll just have to loosen you up."

Before Jean could respond Duncan placed a forceful kiss upon her and forced her down on her back. She tried to push him away, but she felt paralyzed as thoughts of the past bombarded her mind. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as he started to get more aggressive. In an act of desperation she pushed him out of the kiss and slapped him hard across the face.

"What are you doing Duncan? You're drunk!" yelled Jean trying to hide her fear.

"Oh so you like it rough don't you? Shit I can do rough!"

The tone of his voice was soused with beer as he forcefully overpowered her again and started to aggressively kiss her face. Jean briefly contemplated using her powers to get him off of her, but her mind was too paralyzed to focus. Her head began to spin as he started run his hands up her legs and kiss her with ever increasing ferocity. Jean felt like crying, for she felt powerless to stop this from happening. As she felt her mind devolve in to chaos she started to hear his thought.

'Oh yeah this is gonna be good. If she don't put out...I'll just fuckin' make her.'

Duncan's thoughts were partially incoherent from the alcohol, but they were clear enough for the young telepath to hear. She felt tears start to stream down her face as his hands moved up towards her breasts and old memories of how strange men use to do this to her whenever she spent time in a mental hospital. Jean's cries were going unheard by the drunken Duncan Matthews as he didn't let up. She just begged for this to be all a bad dream...And she begged for Scott to be there.

As this was going on Scott Summers burst through the front door and immediately started to look for Jean. He smelled the alcohol in the air and felt his fears come to life. Unfortunately his instincts had been all too right. Scott knew Jean had a terrible past with liquor and knew he had to get her out of here. He started to scour the large crowd of dancing teens for any signs of Jean.

"Hey Scott!"

Scott turned around to see Taryn standing before him and she definitely looked a little tipsy.

"I didn't know you were invited," said Taryn in a slurred voice.

"I wasn't. I'm here to pick up Jean."

"Oh Jean, I think I saw her slip in to the guest room or something. Now how's about a little dance," said Taryn as she stumbled a bit closer to him than Scott would've wanted. "I'm pretty good on my feet...But I'm even better off."

Taryn's sultry voice did little to dissuade Scott. He felt more and more anxious with each passing second, as if he was feeling all the anxiety Jean was feeling.

"I'm sorry Taryn, but I've gotta go," said Scott as he walked past the drunk girl.

He spotted a closed door adjacent to the living room and felt a wave of nervousness as he got closer. Without hesitation he opened the door and was greeted with the sight he hadn't wanted to see.

'Scott...Help.'

Scott felt an anger overcome him unlike anything he had felt before. Duncan was fumbling to get Jean's shirt off and was tying to make it so she couldn't move.

"GET THE HELL OFF HER, ASSHOLE!"

Scott then stormed over and shoved the drunken jock off of Jean and punched him as hard as he could in the face.

"Summers...What the fuck are you doing here?" yelled the drunken boy as he lashed back at Scott.

However, Duncan proved to be too drunk to fight back as Scott easily blocked an incoming punch and sent him a punch of his own, knocking Duncan flat on the floor. Duncan tried to get up, but Scott wouldn't allow it.

"You bastard!" said Scott as he forced him down again. Then, he grabbed Duncan by his shirt collar and head butted him out cold. "Don't you ever touch her like that again! EVER!"

Duncan was out cold now and Jean was back on the bed hugging her knees and sobbing uncontrollably. Scott quickly sat by her and wrapped his arms around her, which helped calm her down. Jean sunk in to his arms, unable to control her feelings.

"It's okay Jean...I'm here now. I'm here," said Scott in a soft voice.

A warm sensation in her head came over her as Scott's presence helped her greatly.

"I can't believe you heard me...I can't believe you knew I needed you."

"I just felt it Jean. I don't know how I did...But I just felt it, that's all."

Another tear rolled down her cheek, but this was a tear of happiness and not sorrow.

"It must be a bond we have...Thank you Scott."

Those were the only words Jean could manage, but they were enough.

"Anytime Jean...Anytime. Come on...I'll take you home."

* * *

"HE DID WHAT?" yelled Logan.

Scott had told Ororo, Logan, and the Professor what had happened to Jean at Duncan's party.

"He tried to rape her," said Scott flatly.

"That son of a bitch! I swear when I get my hands on him..."

"Logan please calm down!" urged Ororo.

"I can't calm down Ro! I knew that kid was trash, but I didn't think even he would stoop this low!"

"I know Logan, but we still must let the authorities handle this," said the Professor. "We should really be thankful that Mr. Matthews didn't get too far."

"Damn it Chuck, you just expect the cops to handle this kid! His folks are rich, he'll probably get off and you know it!"

"Logan please...For Jean's sake you must calm down," said the Professor.

As the initial shock started to wear off, Scott stayed silent. He hadn't wanted to interject in this; he was still weary from the night's recent events. At least Jean wasn't present for this, for Scott had led her up to her room for the night, so that maybe she could come to terms with everything that had happened to her. As the adults continued to argue, Scott just sat there...Worried for Jean.

"Scott...Scott are you okay?" asked to Professor noticing the concerned look in his face.

"Yeah...I'm fine."

It didn't take a psychic to know that was a lie, but the Professor didn't want to pry any further.

"Well, why don't you go check on Jean? Just see how she's doing."

"Sure," replied Scott unable to think of better words.

He silently walked off leaving the Charles, Ororo, and Logan to discuss what to do next. Whatever it was, Scott knew it wouldn't help. Logan was right when he said Duncan would just buy his way out of trouble. In fact, Scott was willing to bet that this wasn't the first girl Duncan had tried to rape. He knew this wouldn't help Jean that much, for she had been raped before. She never liked to think about it much; in fact Scott was the only one she was ever willing to actually discuss it with. Scott understood...For he too had experienced rape. His foster home hadn't been a pleasant place and the people who lived there were ex convicts and he was a weak little pretty-boy. In some ways it was worse for Scott because Jean was usually drugged to the point of being comatose when she was raped in the insane asylums her father had sent her.

As Scott passed his room on the way, he noticed Jean sitting on his bed. He could feel her emotions as he walked towards her. They were all too familiar for the both of them, but hopefully Scott's presence would help her.

"Jean..." said Scott as he sat next to her, "How have you been holding up?"

Jean felt Scott's worried presence before he entered the room. She hadn't wanted to stay in hers; she wanted somebody to be there...Somebody like Scott.

"I've been better," she said dryly. "I just can't believe that he...I mean I didn't...I should have listened to you. I should have realized it sooner...I should have..."

She then fell in to Scott's arms her words turned to sobs. She hated feeling so weak, but in the end she knew she had done this to herself by not listening to her heart and to Scott.

"It'll be okay Jean...I know what you're going through...I know how it feels, believe me I know," said Scott softly as he held her close.

Jean knew what Scott was referring to, for he had told her about certain things in his past that made it all too true. However, this did little to help either of them.

"I wish I could change this Scott...I wish I could change a lot of things for the both of us. I should have known sooner...I just kept lying to myself about Duncan and everything he made himself to be. I just...I was so stupid all because I was star struck that he could ever like somebody like me."

"Come on Jean...How could anybody not like you?" replied Scott hugging her a little tighter. "You are a beautiful, kind, caring person. I've known that since the day I met you. You've never let anybody taint that before, so please don't start now. You saved me Jean; you were the first person who was ever there for me since my family died. And I promise I will always be there for you as well...Always."

Scott's glowing words helped heal the inner sickness within. Even after being the one who started this whole thing, Jean was still in shock that Scott was willing to forgive her. She had done something to hurt Scott and she had long vowed never to hurt him. She felt she couldn't atone for it, but Scott still forgave her...And that made all the difference in the world to her.

"Thank you Scott...Thank you for everything," said Jean as she finally managed to smile.

"Hey, what are friends for?" said Scott with a smile as well.

For a brief moment they simply looked in to each other's eyes, grateful that they had each other. There were so many things they wanted to tell each other. There were so many things they wanted to reveal, but for some reason they couldn't. The events of the night had taken too much of a toll on the both of them, so they just sat there in silence, enjoying the warmth offered by each other. The night grew cold, for the hour was late. Both teens were tired and sleepy. As Jean Grey's eyes started to get heavier, Scott reached over by his bed and picked up his guitar and started to play a soft tune for her. As she listened to the lyrics, the events of the night seemed to fade away and she could enjoy feelings of peace once more.

After the song was over Jean laid back on Scott's bed. Scott lay by her side and wrapped his arms around her. Through all the trauma and nightmares Scott and Jean had faced in their lives, they still had each other. As the two young teens fell asleep in each other's arms, there were still things they wanted to say to each other. They knew that one day they would tell each other and hopefully...That day will come for them.

* * *

AN: Well I hope all you Jott fans like this chapter. Don't worry, another one with them will come soon enough. Stay tuned if you wanna see Kurt and Kitty struggle with their own love triangle and see what happens when the truth about Mystique is revealed. By the way that song that I mentioned above was "Wonderwall" by Oasis. I don't own it so please don't sue. I just had to put that song in here because I think it best describes Scott and Jeans feelings in Evo in general. Don't forget to review! Post them on or send them to me at Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!

FEED MY HUNGER FOR FEEDBACK! REVIEW!


	19. Shadowed Past

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 18: Shadowed Past  
  
This chapter is based on the episode of Evo when Kurt first learns about his relation to Mystique. It's a bit different then the actual episode, so please bear with me.  
  
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Through the dark night, a strange cloaked woman ran from a dark castle with a baby in her arms. A group of man led by a mysterious looking scientist chased after her. The baby wailed in to the night as the lady desperately tried to get away, but the men were gaining fast. Rain started to fall and thunder started boom in the sky. The mysterious lady soon reached a rickety old bridge, but just as she reached the middle a huge bolt of lightning struck the other side and she stumbled backwards...Dropping the baby in the process.  
  
"NO!" yelled the lady as the baby cried in to the night and was inundated by the brisk river.  
  
"Rogue! Rogue wake up!" came a voice.  
  
Suddenly, Rogue bolted up out of her sleep in a cold sweat. She was breathing heavily and on the verge of tears as the last image of the baby falling in to the river hung clear in her head.  
  
"Rogue, what happened? You were yelling in yer sleep," said Logan as the others crowded around her door.  
  
"I...I don't know. I just had a bad dream. It was so real and...The poor baby and..."  
  
Rogue was definitely getting hysterical. This seemed like more than her regular bad dreams that she had been having for years.  
  
"Baby?" said Kurt curiously.  
  
Soon, the Professor wheeled in to the room upon hearing the commotion. He had sensed the psychic disturbance and he knew it was more than just another bad dream.  
  
"Rogue, what exactly did you see?" asked the Professor calmly.  
  
Rogue took a deep breath as she recounted the dream that was still fresh in her mind.  
  
"I saw some lady running from these men...It was cold, dark, and when she got to the bridge...She dropped the baby in to the river. The baby..."  
  
Suddenly, Rogue looked towards Kurt. The images in her head flashed again and she saw the face of the baby. It was blue...  
  
"It was you!" exclaimed Rogue.  
  
"Vhat? Me?" said Kurt dumbfounded.  
  
"That baby was you!"  
  
"But, why would you have one of Kurt's dreams?" asked Kitty, for Kurt was at a loss for words.  
  
The Professor could tell it was still a fuzzy dream, but he knew that it meant something. After a brief pause, the Professor knew he had to know more.  
  
"I think we should look in to this. Kurt, Rogue, please come with me. The rest of you should get some sleep. You all still have school in the morning," said Charles as he made his way to the living room with Kurt and Rogue.  
  
Logan followed as well and so did Kitty.  
  
"You heard the Prof half-pint. Back to bed," said Logan as he stopped Kitty from following further.  
  
"But..."  
  
"You can talk to him in the morning."  
  
Knowing it was useless arguing with Logan, Kitty reluctantly headed back to her room. But she still wanted to know what was going on and why it involved Kurt. She noticed he had been a bit distant lately. They didn't talk as much anymore, but that was because Kitty had been spending time with Lance. Sometimes she felt she spent too much time with him. Kitty was so use to talking to Kurt all the time that this kind of distance from him almost made her feel...Empty inside.  
  
"Kitty? Are you okay?" asked Jean as she, Scott, and Evan stayed back for a minute upon noticing the all too familiar look on Kitty's face.  
  
"Yeah...I'm fine," said Kitty as she phased through the walls back in to her room.  
  
Scott looked back at Jean after seeing what had just happened, and it didn't take a psychic to know that Kitty was lying.  
  
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As Rogue took a seat on the couch, Kurt stood near her with a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. The Professor was eager to explore this issue further, but he couldn't fight the feeling that he won't like where this would lead.  
  
"You haven't had this dream before have you Rogue?" asked the Professor.  
  
"No...Never. I never remembered something like that happening to me," responded Rogue.  
  
"The perhaps what you were experience wasn't a dream at all. Maybe it was actually a memory."  
  
"A memory...Of Kurt?"  
  
"Kurt, do you remember her absorbing you at any time before you came here?" asked the Professor.  
  
"Ja, once or twice but that was almost a year ago."  
  
"A year? Then it wouldn't make sense for it not to have happened sooner," said the Professor as he became more perplexed by this.  
  
"I don't know...Maybe I was mistaken. It still is kinda fuzzy," said Rogue rubbing her head slightly.  
  
"Then maybe I can help clear it up," said the Professor as he wheeled closer to her. "Just relax Rogue, I'm going to try and see what you saw."  
  
"Okay," Rogue said nervously, still spooked by the dream.  
  
The Professor closed his eyes and began to search deeply in to Rogue's mind. It was a cluttered, cold, and depressing place and there were many areas that were intensely shielded. No doubt that they were thoughts and secrets that Rogue didn't want others to know. However, the path to the dream was open and soon it became clearer to see.  
  
The lady in the cloak could clearly be seen and she was carrying a crying baby just as Rogue had said. Then, as the lightning struck the bridge and the baby fell in to the river, Charles Xavier got a clear look at the lady's face...It was Mystique. But there was more, the baby didn't drown. It floated down the river and washed up in a shallow creek running behind a small farm. Then, there were some frantic words spoken in German in the distance. A young couple ran over and picked the crying baby out of the river...Then it all stopped. There was another flash to another time separate from the one just witnessed. The image before the Professor was now that of a crying 4-year-old girl cowering in fear in a dirty old orphanage. Then, the same lady in the cloak picked her up...After that all went blank.  
  
The Professor then opened his eyes and looked back at Kurt.  
  
"Vell, vhat did you see?" asked Kurt eagerly.  
  
"It was no dream...It was a memory. But I'm not sure whose it was," said the Professor, knowing that it was partially a lie because he had a pretty good hunch who it belonged to.  
  
"But why was Kurt in it and why am I the one having the dream in the first place?" asked Rogue.  
  
"I'm not sure. I need to look in to this further; we'll talk about it tomorrow afternoon. Until then you should both get some sleep," said the Professor not wanting to reveal this to Kurt just yet. He had to be sure.  
  
The two teens simply nodded as the Professor wheeled himself out and headed back to bed. Rogue started to walk back towards her room, but Kurt lingered behind.  
  
"Are ya gonna be okay Kurt?" asked Rogue with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"Ja...I'll be fine."  
  
Then, the blue mutant ported back to his room where he tried to get some sleep, but now that was all but impossible.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The next day, Kurt was still restless from the previous night. He trusted the Professor to keep his word, but he couldn't fight this feeling that there was something he was keeping from him. Kurt was silent throughout most of the morning and didn't eat a very big breakfast, which was very unusual for him. This didn't go unnoticed, especially by Kitty. However, it was clear that Kurt didn't want to talk about it, so Kitty was forced to watch and worry.  
  
When they got to school they all broke off in to their respective groups. Evan skated off towards some of his skateboarding buddies, Rogue went looking for Risty, Scott and Jean went off together towards their first class, and Kurt ran off by himself. Kitty tried to follow him, but before she could get very far, Lance waved at her from a distance and signaled her over. She looked over at Kurt, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. Slowly, Kitty then made her way towards the ever-impatient Lance Alvers. As she walked over to him, she noticed Scott and Jean.  
  
Jean had linked her arm around Scott's and they were walking off happily towards class. Kitty had seen the dramatic shift in their behavior ever since the horrible incident with Duncan. They had been spending a lot more time with each other and were noticeably happier than they had been in months. They were still insinuating that they were hanging out just as friends, but to Kitty and the rest of the group they acted like a couple. Sometimes they teased the pair about it, but it did little to dissuade them. Kitty sighed as she saw the smiles on their faces and for a brief moment, pictured herself like that with her and Kurt.  
  
"Hey Kitty! Hurry up!" said Lance.  
  
Kitty was unfortunately snapped back to reality by Lance's voice. She could only sigh as she went forth to meet him, but Kurt still never left her mind.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Not long after the six teens left for school, Ororo and the Professor drove off in his car to a meeting that had been set up at the last minute. They were to meet somebody along a deserted stretch of road not far from the Brotherhood's house. As they arrived they could only sit and wait.  
  
"Are you sure she'll be here?" asked Storm.  
  
"Positive. She may be a master of deception, but this is an issue she can't ignore," responded the Professor.  
  
After only a few minutes of waiting, a small black raven descended from the sky and landed a few feet from the two mutants. Then the bird shifted in to Mystique.  
  
"This had better be good Xavier," said the blue shape-shifter sternly.  
  
"I would think so Raven...It involves you children," replied the Professor.  
  
Mystique's interest for the subject grew upon hearing this. Her expression shifted from her usual angry, stern look to one of actual concern.  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"They may know the truth now...There's no more denying it. I knew they would find out sooner or later, but I didn't expect it to be this soon."  
  
"But how?!" said Mystique growing angry once more. "Did you tell them?!"  
  
"No, I didn't know the whole truth myself until recently. It turns out your 'daughter' has been having a few bad dreams lately."  
  
Xavier watched as Mystique grew uncomfortable by this revelation. Her secret was finally coming out.  
  
"You can't hide from the truth anymore Mystique...I know now. And Kurt and Rogue deserve to know as well. You can't deny them that."  
  
Mystique was left speechless for a brief moment.  
  
"I tried my best for the both of them...I did everything I could," said Mystique finally still trying to remain strong before her enemies.  
  
"You did everything...Except the right thing," said Storm.  
  
Mystique's expression grew bitter upon hearing those last words.  
  
"Are you aware of what became of your children after you left them?" asked the Professor.  
  
"No...I couldn't come in to contact with them. It was better for them that way," responded Mystique.  
  
The Professor only sighed, knowing that was a terribly false assumption.  
  
"I think you may be wrong in assuming that," said the Professor.  
  
Mystique looked at the Professor curiously.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Mystique in a demanding tone.  
  
The professor didn't know the extent of what happened to Kurt and Rogue in their times before joining the institute. They, along with the rest of the group, guarded their secrets so strongly that even he couldn't uncover them if he tried.  
  
"Mystique...Your children have not had normal lives to say the least. I can't tell you the kind of things they've been through because I respect their privacy and also because...I simply don't know. They guard their secrets even more than you do. But from what I do know I can say that despite what they have been through...They have turned in to fine young individuals. And I'm proud to have them at my institute."  
  
The Professor's words left Mystique at a loss, for the things he had just said left her with a great sense of worry. Before he could say anything else she shifted back in to a raven and flew away, but not before giving both mutants a stern look.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Hey Kitty, over here!" yelled Lance from the cafeteria as lunch let out.  
  
"Oh, hey Lance. Listen, I can't talk now, I have to meet a friend," replied Kitty.  
  
She knew Lance would get too uptight if she just said she was going to meet up with Kurt. Every time she mentioned his name, Lance would get angry for no real reason. This was the main thing about Lance that Kitty had come to hate the most. He never respected her friends and was very cynical when he talked about them. Needless to say they did fight about this a lot, so Kitty did her best to avoid it...However that only made a things worse in the end.  
  
"Come on Kitty, you've been avoiding me all day," said Lance in an exasperated tone.  
  
"No I haven't! I just have a life outside of you," defended Kitty even though there was some truth in his words.  
  
"Its fuzz boy again isn't it?" said Lance sternly knowing that he was the only one who could make Kitty act like this.  
  
"His name is KURT!" yelled Kitty as her anger grew.  
  
Kitty didn't like to yell, but Lance was always good at pushing her limits. She could stand some of the arguing they had, but she couldn't stand it when he started insulting her best friend.  
  
"Whatever...Look if you want to go with 'Kurt,'" started Lance in a sarcastic tone, but upon that Kitty cut him off.  
  
"Kurt is my best friend! He has been there for as long as I can remember! And if you can't respect that then DON'T TALK TO ME!" yelled Kitty who had had it with Lance's jealousy of Kurt.  
  
Before he could respond Kitty stormed off. Lance was left dumbfounded by what had just happened. For the time he had been pursuing Kitty, Kurt had always been the major roadblock. He was constantly looking out for her, and always seemed to interrupt them when things were going good. Lance disliked Kurt from day one and was not willing to let him get in his way.  
  
"Damn elf..." said Lance to himself as he watched Kitty stormed off, "I swear one day you'll pay for all your bullshit."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Finally, the last bell had rung and Kurt rushed to his locker to drop off some of his books. As he was about to run off, he heard a voice come up from behind him.  
  
"Hey Kurt wait up!" It was Kitty.  
  
"Hey Kitty," said Kurt as he hurried off to meet Scott and the others.  
  
"What's the big rush? You've been, like, out of it all day," said Kitty even though she had a good idea what the answer was.  
  
"I just vant to get back as soon as possible. I vant to see vhat the Professor has found," replied Kurt.  
  
"You mean about Rogue's dream? What did he say about it?" asked Kitty.  
  
Kurt just sighed. The thoughts and memories of the dream that were described to him had haunted him all day. He couldn't get them off his mind.  
  
"He said he had to do more research...But I can't shake the feeling that there may be more to it than that," said Kurt as they walked out the front door.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Kitty.  
  
The look on Kurt's face went sour after that. He didn't want to say anything else about it, even though it was Kitty talking to him. He still didn't feel good about her being around Lance from the Brotherhood. Ever since then she had spoken to him less and less even though they were best friends.  
  
"Come on Kurt...I didn't avoid Lance and his scrutiny all day for nothing. Please talk to me...You're my best friend. You know that don't you?" said Kitty with a hint of sadness in her voice.  
  
Kurt looked back at her and saw the look on her face. He was surprised to learn that she had avoided Lance all day for him.  
  
"I know...I've always known. It's just that...This is something big...I can feel it," said Kurt.  
  
"Just be careful...Don't be surprised if what you find out is really something you'd rather not know," replied Kitty with worry all too apparent in her voice.  
  
"I'm kind of use to that by now Kitty...Ve both are."  
  
Kurt then held on to her hand as the anxiety only grew from within, but in the presence of a good friend...It didn't really matter.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Pietro, I have an assignment for you," said Mystique upon finding Pietro slumped on the couch of the Brotherhood home.  
  
"Can it wait...Wrestling is about to come on," moaned Pietro.  
  
"NOW!" yelled Mystique not in the mood for games as she grabbed him by the shirt collar and forced him off the couch.  
  
"Ow! Okay jeez! What's the big deal?" said the speed demon as he stood under Mystique's penetrating gaze.  
  
"I just need you to do this for me. Drop this letter off at the Xavier institute in Nightcrawler's room," said Mystique handing him a letter.  
  
"That's it?" said Pietro sounding almost disappointed by the simple assignment.  
  
"Don't ask questions, just do it!" yelled Mystique.  
  
"Okay! No need to go all psychopath on me!" said Pietro as he zoomed off.  
  
Soon after he left, Mystique went upstairs and grabbed a large dark cloak.  
  
"I'm coming...My son."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
AN: Well, how's it gonna end? All you Kurt/Kitty fans stay tuned, because the next chapter is for you! I know that this is not like the actual episode very much, but I've done my best to preserve it and keep the plot of this story. Please send your thoughts about the story thus far to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. I love reviews! Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
DID I MENTION I LOVE REVIEWS? NO? WELL I DO!!! 


	20. Shadowed Past II

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 19: Shadowed Past II**

AN: This chapter is based on the episode of Evo when Kurt first learns about his relation to Mystique. It's a bit different then the actual episode, so please bear with me.

* * *

"Vhat's this?" said Kurt as he walked in to his room after returning from school.

There was a single envelope on the foot of his bed with no writing on it other than his name printed in large letters. Quickly, Kurt opened it and read the short, handwritten note.

'Dear Kurt, if you want to know the truth please meet me at the south Bayville construction sight immediately. Sincerely, your mother.'

Kurt nearly dropped the letter upon reading it. He had rushed back home to find what the Professor had found out about him, but instead he found this.

"Kurt? Are ya in there?" said a voice from outside Kurt's bedroom door.

"Rogue?"

"Yeah, it's me. The Professor says he ready to talk to us about the dream, are ya comin?"

"Nein, something else has just come up. Tell him I'll be back later," said Kurt as he grabbed his jacket.

"What? But I thought..."

"I got a note Rogue. Somebody wants to meet me...Somebody important. I think they may know more than the Professor," said Kurt.

"What are you talking about?" asked Rogue.

"See for yourself," said Kurt as he handed her the letter.

It didn't take long for Rogue to read it, but when she finished it she was almost as shocked as Kurt was.

"Oh ma God. Kurt, I'm coming with you," said Rogue eagerly.

"Vhat? No, this note was addressed to me."

"Like it or not Kurt, it was MY dream to begin with! I have just as much right to know as you do!" replied Rogue in a tone that left no room for argument.

"Fine," said Kurt with a sigh, "Then let's go!"

With that, Kurt grabbed her shoulder and teleported out in a puff of smoke...Leaving the letter to fall to the floor.

"Did I miss anything?" asked Evan as he rushed in to the living room where everybody was gathered except Kurt, Rogue, and Kitty.

"Nope, just waiting for blue boy," said Logan.

"He's not here yet? He's been stressing about this all day, how could he be late for it?" asked Evan.

"This is a very important matter for Kurt, I doubt he would want to miss it," responded Storm.

Just then Kitty came running in to the room with a piece of paper in her hand.

"Professor, Kurt's gone and so is Rogue! I found this in his room," exclaimed Kitty as she handed the note to the Professor.

It didn't take long for him to read it.

"Oh no...Suit up everyone. We have to find them!" said the Professor.

The team didn't ask questions, they just scrambled out of the room and prepared for whatever faced them.

"I only hope we're not too late."

* * *

After a few trips via teleportation, Kurt finally reached the construction sight the letter had referred to. There was nobody there, so they just waited anxiously.

"Kurt, I've got a bad feeling about this," admitted Rogue as she felt the air around her suddenly grow cold.

"I do too, but I have to know the truth."

Suddenly a mysterious lady in a dark cloak walked out of the shadows and approached the two teens from behind.

"Hello Kurt," said the lady.

Rogue immediately had a flash of memories go off in her head as she saw this lady. She was definitely the one from her dream, but she did not show her face.

"It's you isn't it? You're the one from Rogue's dream," said Kurt as he approached her.

"Yes I am, and for good reason too. Kurt...I'm your mother," said the lady unveiled the cloak revealing herself to be none other than the blue shape shifter, Mystique.

"Mystique! It...It can't be!" exclaimed Kurt.

"But it is...If you've been having that dream then you know it's true...Son."

"Rogue? Is it..."

Kurt was at a loss for better words. He never would have thought this could happen and he refused to accept it.

"It's true," said Rogue as the memories of the dream washed over her mind again.

She remembered that this had never been a memory of Kurt's to begin with, it was a memory of Mystique. Rogue had touched her on that fateful day when the Professor recruited them at the docks. And now her old thoughts had manifested in the form of dreams that told the truth.

"No...It's not possible!"

"It...It is Kurt."

"No, you must have made a mistake! She..."

"Don't talk to your sister like that son," said Mystique.

This time, Rogue felt the shock as she struggled to comprehend what Mystique had just said.

"What did you say?" stammered Rogue hoping she hadn't heard her right.

"If you've touched me before then you know the truth, Rogue. I adopted you when you were four...You are my daughter...And Kurt is your brother," responded Mystique.

Rogue looked over at Kurt with shock all too apparent in her eyes. She then looked back at Mystique and a flood of other memories consumed her mind. She suddenly saw images of a crying little girl in a dirty orphanage. She saw a mysterious lady come and take her away from it...And saw her face in the process. It was Mystique...But there was more. She saw Mystique abandon her years later when she started having seizures due to her emerging powers. She witnessed as she was sent to live with her foster mother, Agnis and how Mystique never returned and the endless pain and suffering of her old home set in.

"But how can this be?" said Kurt seeing that Rogue was at a loss for words.

"When you were born...I made the mistake of letting a terrible man named Mr. Sinister experiment on you. You see, I thought he could help you as a mutant...But he turned out to be a monster. Those experiments are responsible for some parts of your appearance. They are the reason why your powers manifested much earlier than most other mutants. When I saw the way he was experimenting on you I grabbed you and ran. He chased me...And I dropped you in to the river," said Mystique solemnly as she recalled the unpleasant memory.

"But you KNEW he survived!" said Rogue finally as she broke her silence.

"Yes...I saw that another family found and adopted him. After that I knew he would have a better life than if he stayed with me...So I left."

"You abandoned him!" yelled Rogue, "The same way you abandoned ME!"

Mystique was taken aback by Rogue's harsh words.

"Rogue you must understand that I did everything I..." but Kurt cut her off.

"You knew? You knew vhat happened to us after you left us! You knew vhat happened vith my adopted family...And vhat happened after they died..." said Kurt who was trying to hide his rage.

There was no more hiding from it now. Rogue knew more than Mystique was willing to tell. The shape shifter could only try and defend her actions that the two bewildered teens had come to so greatly regret.

"I couldn't do anything about it! I couldn't help you...But I tried! I did all I could!" yelled back Mystique.

"You did everything...Except be our mother!" yelled Kurt

Mystique looked as the anger grew within Kurt's eyes. It was a mixture of tears and pain.

"Kurt, Rogue...I wanted to help you but..."

"But you didn't..." said Kurt as he cut her off in mid sentence. Then, he started to walk towards her. "You didn't help either of us vhen ve really needed it. Do you have any idea of vhat I had to go through because of you not being there! Do you have any clue as to what happened to me! DO YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA OF VHAT A LIVING HELL MY LIFE HAS BEEN!"

Kurt couldn't go on after that; he couldn't reveal any more even though there was so much he wanted her to know. He wanted to tell her about all the beatings, assaults and rapes that he had to go through because she wasn't there. Mystique tried to look stoic, but Kurt's tone was all too harsh and he looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"You think you were trying to do the best thing for us..." said Rogue as she felt the anger grow within her. "YOU ABANDONED ME! YOU ABANDONED US! You sent us both in to terrible homes that nearly killed us!"

Kurt was now within inches of Mystique. Anger had given way to sadness as the memories of the terrible story that was his life took over his mind once more. Mystique saw her two children and couldn't help but feel angry herself. They way they spoke to her and the way they felt about her now that they knew only made her blood singe with resentment. She had hoped to win them back, instead she pushed them away.

"I did all I could for you...And this is how you repay me? You blame me like it was my fault!" said Mystique as she started to let her anger out.

"Repay you! This is your fault and you know it!" yelled Kurt.

"I gave you LIFE!" shot back Mystique not willing to admit anything they were saying.

"Yeah...Vell you can have it back for all I care...Mother."

Those words stung and the blue mutant's rage grew. Just then, the ground started to shake beneath them. Kurt stumbled back towards Rogue as they both sensed a new presence in the area.

"Back off blue boy!" yelled Lance as he came in to view.

Soon he was joined by his four other teammates.

"Having a party Mystique? Well, your superior thought it would turn out to be a bust. Looks like he was right," said Pietro in a cocky tone.

Wanda's eyes immediately started to glow as her gaze met Rogue's.

"Payback is way overdue X-geeks! You're outnumbered this time!"

Just then, a red optic blast hit the ground near them. The rest of the X- men had arrived.

"Not anymore!" bellowed Logan as she lunged at Mystique.

Wanda then attacked Rogue, launching a barrage of hex bolts at her. Using the features of the construction yard to her advantage, Rogue was able to dodge them. Quicksilver immediately went for Evan as he started to circle around him and easily avoided being hit with his spikes. Scott and Jean were busy subduing the immovable Freddy "Blob" Dukes. Scott's optic blasts knocked him back, but didn't stop him. Jean's telekinesis was helping, but Blob was still putting up a fight. Toad immediately went for Kurt and was able to fight strongly due to his current state of mind.

"Aw, what's the matter momma's boy? Want her to kiss away your boo boo's?" taunted Toad as he delivered a swift kick to Kurt's chest with his powerful legs.

"Err! Shut up Toad!" said Kurt as he struggled with all that had happened to him in the last few minutes.

Kurt tried to hit the nimble amphibious mutant, but he was quick and Kurt was a lot slower than he usually was.

"Ha! You're losing your edge yo! This definitely hasn't been your day!" said Todd as he hit Kurt again with a kick.

"You know something...Your right."

That caught Todd off guard just long enough for Kurt to teleport right behind the young mutant to deliver a single knock out punch.

Meanwhile, Lance was hesitating to fight against Kitty. He had hoped she wouldn't come to this, but she did. He couldn't understand why, but there was no time to contemplate.

"You shouldn't have come here Kitty...This doesn't concern you or the rest of the X-geeks," said Lance as she stood ready to unleash another tremor.

"Your wrong Lance...If it involves Kurt, it involves me too," replied Kitty.

"Why do you insist on helping that blue fuzz ball?" said Lance getting a little too frustrated.

"I've told you before...But you just don't listen! Kurt it my best friend in the world...And I won't let you or anybody else tell me that I can't help him when he really needs it!" said Kitty in a harsh tone.

Kurt had heard this and couldn't help but feel thankful for her words, but Lance on the other hand only responded by rolling his eyes back and starting another tremor. This disrupted everybody's fight as Quicksilver stumbled to the ground and Mystique and Wolverine stopped fighting. However, that didn't stop Wanda...She was still firing hex bolts at Rogue like a maniac. This proved to be fatal as her aim was hindered by the shaking ground and she accidentally shot the base of a wood pile out, causing it to tumble down towards her. But as she jumped out of the way, she was met with Rogue's hands and knocked out cold. Armed with Wanda's powers, Rogue put an end to Lance's little earthquake and the rest of the Brotherhood soon fell.

Seeing her team fall yet again, Mystique felt it was about time to make their escape.

"Give it up Mystique...You lose," said Logan.

"This time perhaps, but soon it won't matter," said Mystique ominously.

"NO!" yelled Rogue as she approached Mystique from behind and paralyzed her with Wanda's powers. "No more lies!"

Then, Rogue touched Mystique's face and absorbed her powers and thoughts. As new images streamed through her mind, a clear picture of Risty appeared before her. She saw the truth as she watched the events of the past few months between her and Risty and saw Mystique transforming in to her and befriending her. As Rogue let go and Mystique fell to the floor unconscious, Rogue started to feel lightheaded and dizzy from everything that she had just learned.

"Rogue...Are you okay?" said Logan as he ran to her side and prevented her from collapsing.

Rogue kept breathing in short, ragged breaths, but she would be okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine...I guess."

"Come on...Let's get you home," said Logan as he helped her regain her balance.

As Pietro got up and saw that the fight was lost.

"Looks like it's time to make our exit," said the speed demon as he used his speed to kick up a dust storm and get everybody out of there.

Before Mystique was taken away, Kurt looked back towards her with a fury of harsh emotions clouding his mind. He had found his mother...But now he wished he hadn't.

"Goodbye...Mother," said Kurt as his head sunk in a state of despair.

Kitty ran to Kurt's side upon Mystique's defeat and immediately put her arms around him, knowing that he needed her right then and now.

"Kurt...Are you okay?" said Kitty in a worried tone.

Kurt just turned and looked deeply in to her beautiful blue eyes. He remembered what she had said earlier when she fought with Lance. She came there for him when he really needed it and helped him as he struggled to take in everything that had happened to him on this one fateful day. Her eyes, her touch, her presence only comforted him as he managed to smile.

"Ja...I'll be okay...Thank you Kitty."

"Anytime Kurt. Come on...Let's go home."

* * *

Later that night the Professor filled both Kurt and Rogue in on what he knew, but it only confirmed what Mystique had told them. They didn't say much that evening and nobody could blame them...Not after everything that had happened.

"So now they know the truth," said Logan as he sat with the Professor in the library to discuss everything that had just transpired.

"Yes...I hoped that it wouldn't end like this. After everything both Kurt and Rogue have been through, I guess they deserve a little closure. But it still doesn't change what was done to them," said the Professor.

"Do you think they will be okay after all this?" asked Storm.

"I'm not sure Ororo. Like I've said before, they all guard their memories, feelings, and emotions more fiercely than I could ever hope to sense. What has led them to feel this way, is something we can only speculate. But from what I can tell, they have already been through a lot of pain in their short lives. I can't imagine how they must feel. But right now...They need to come to terms with Mystique and who she really is..."

* * *

Later that night, Kurt sat out on his windowsill with the cold air running through his fur. Rogue entered his room, with one more thing on her mind that she needed to talk about.

"How ya holdin' up Kurt?" said Rogue as she stood next to him.

"I'm getting there Rogue. I just...Need to think, that's all."

Rogue stood beside him in silence, not knowing what else to say. Everything that they had found out was a lot to process. She had found out that one of her only friends at school had been Mystique all along and that all this time when she thought she was alone in this world, it turned out that she had a brother right near her the whole time. Even if it wasn't by true blood, it was still family never the less.

"Yeah...But ya gotta admit there was at least one good thing that came outta all this."

"Vhat's that?" asked Kurt even though he had a good idea what the answer was.

"You gained a big sister...And I gained a little brother."

The both of them could only smile, for it was the first real family they had ever thought they'd have. Even thought they were very different people, they still stood by each other as friends through some of the worst times any of them had ever faced.

"Ja...I guess ve have. Thanks Rogue."

"For what?" she asked in reply.

"For helping me know the truth even if it wasn't very pleasant...For both of us."

"Yer welcome...Brother."

After that, Rogue got up and left Kurt back to his own thoughts. Kurt didn't see it, but the gothic girl had tears in her eyes, for she had found family. As she left, she noticed Kitty standing in the doorway. As she passed her, Rogue simply nodded knowing that Kitty would probably the best person for Kurt to be with through this difficult time.

"Kurt..."

"Hey Kitty...Look, I've been meaning to thank you for vhat you did back there," said Kurt as Kitty took a seat next to him.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Kurt took a deep breath, for he wanted this to sound perfect for her without revealing too much of what he wanted to keep secret.

"I mean that thing you said to Lance. I know you really like him...But fighting him for me...Vell, I just can't tell you how much it means to me. You being there for me...Like you always have just, well...Thank you Kitty."

Kurt struggled to get the right words out and for a moment he thought he messed up, but Kitty's warm smile proved otherwise.

"That's what I'm here for Kurt. We've always been there for each other through some of the worst times. And I know that the whole Lance issue has you, and even me for that matter, spooked, I want you to know that I will always be there for you...Because you were always there for me."

Kurt didn't know what to say after that...He was at a total loss for words. He only responded by putting his arms around Kitty's waist and hugging her close. She sunk in to his arms, for they offered a feeling that nobody else could mimic; not even Lance. Kitty sensed tears in Kurt's eyes, but they weren't tears of sadness.

"I can't believe I have a friend like you Kitty. I mean...Me, a fuzzy blue demon that everybody fears and runs from...Has an angel like you," said Kurt softly as he gently ran his hands down her face.

Kitty blushed at his words and even though the wind was cold, she felt warm in his presence.

"I'm lucky to have a friend like you, Kurt. And don't forget...You are not a demon. You're perfect the way you are."

"Really?" asked Kurt.

"Of coarse," said Kitty as she ran her fingers down his fur-covered face, "Besides...Blue is my favorite color."

Later that night, Scott played a special song for Kurt on his guitar to help him reflect on all that had happened to him. In a way, his friends whom he bore no blood relation to were more family than Mystique could ever be. It was hard knowing that one of your greatest enemies was your mother, but in the end blood isn't always thicker than friendship.

* * *

AN: That was for all you Kurt/Kitty fans out there! Don't worry, I'm not done writing about Kurt/Kitty just yet. But it'll have to wait because coming up next chapter, is my take on the episode "The Cauldron." See what happens when Scott learns about Alex and see all the Scott/Jean that comes with it! Stay tuned and don't for get to review! Post them on or send them to me at Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!

REVIEWS ARE MY LIFE FORCE! HELP KEEP ME ALIVE!


	21. The Cauldron

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 20: The Cauldron  
  
AN: I also realized that I forgot to mention something in the previous chapter. I know in the cartoon, Magneto was the one who experimented on Kurt in that episode. But this is AU, and I meant to say that Mr. Sinister was the one who did those experiments in this universe. Sorry, I hope that clears things up later on, but don't expect to see Sinister later in this story because I don't think I'll be able to work him in with what I have in mind.  
  
This chapter is based on the same episode of Evo, however it's a bit different then the actual episode, so please bear with me.  
  
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In the cold, arctic air of the North Pole under the lights of the aurora borealis, a lone metal sphere sped through the sky. Inside, it was occupied by Mystique, whom had been struggling with the all too recent confrontations between her and her estranged children. The words they said about her not being there stung and had left a hole in her heart that was filled with anger. She didn't know the full extent to what they had gone through because of her and she felt it was better if she didn't find out. It was harsh enough knowing what she knew, but now it didn't matter.  
  
In the distance, the destination of the metal orb carrying Mystique came in to view. It was a magnificent sight to behold...It was a floating asteroid that hovered by some unseen force. At the top, there was a huge complex that looked like something straight out of science fiction. As the orb docked and Mystique stepped out she was greeted by a tall dark figure. It was Magneto.  
  
"I heard about what happened with you and your children Raven...I'm sorry it had to be that way," said Magneto in a deep tone.  
  
"It's something I can't change Eric. I failed..." said Mystique who remained stoic.  
  
"On the contrary, I bought you here not because of the mishap with your family. I bought you here because the time had finally come," said Magneto with some excitement in his voice.  
  
"You mean...It's ready?"  
  
"Yes...Indeed it is. I have already gone through the machine and it works better than we ever could have hoped. I want you to be the next one Mystique, for I promised to reward you for your loyalty and now I am making good on that promise. Are you ready?"  
  
Mystique stepped forth before a huge opening with a strange red glow.  
  
"Yes...I am ready," said Mystique with determination as she walked in to the strange room and watched as the heavy door shut behind her.  
  
With his powers of magnetism, Magneto activated the machine and a huge glow of light burst forth from behind the door. A surge of energy went through the shape shifter and the light only got more intense as the spectacle unfolded. After a good five minutes the machine stopped and the door opened with a blast of eerie mist billowing out. Mystique then stepped out. Her appearance had change; she looked a lot stronger and far more menacing. From this Magneto knew his machine had been a success.  
  
"It's done," said Mystique in a dark, ominous tone.  
  
"Then it's time to move in to stage two of our plans...For evolution!"  
  
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The elevator to the lower levels of the institute opened up and Logan made his way towards the room with Cerebro. He had been summoned urgently by the Professor, saying that he had found something big and Logan was eager to know what it was.  
  
"What's the big news Chuck...Cerebro pick up something new?" asked Logan as he approached the large computer.  
  
"Yes, something very strange. It detected the presence of a new mutant, but it's not the powers that's disturbing...It's the identity of who it is."  
  
Then, the computer screen flashed an image of a seemingly normal teenage boy with blond hair and tan skin.  
  
"His name is Alex Masters, but upon further analysis I discovered that he was adopted...And his previous name was Alex Summers."  
  
"Summers?!" said Logan with a slight bit of disbelief, "I thought Scott was the only one to survive that plane crash."  
  
"So did I, but it appears that they both survived and were sent to different hospitals. According to some papers I've uncovered, Alex sustained minor injuries compared to Scott and was adopted believing that his brother was killed. Alex never knew...Scott never knew," said the Professor still not believing how this could just come out of thin air.  
  
"Are you gonna tell Cyke?" asked Logan.  
  
"Yes...He deserves to know. I'll summon him while you prep the X-jet. I think he'll want to see his brother as soon as possible."  
  
"Right," said Logan simply as he made his way to the hanger.  
  
This left Professor Xavier to summon Scott Summers and reveal to him that his long lost brother was alive after over 10 years.  
  
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At the house for the Brotherhood of Mutants, it was unusually quiet. Ever since the incident with Mystique and her kids, she hadn't come back. This left the house in a certain sense of anarchy, for without Mystique there the rest of the Brotherhood had no inclination to do much.  
  
"Man when's Mystique getting back yo? She's been gone for almost two weeks now," moaned Toad as he mindlessly flipped through the channels on TV trying to find something to watch.  
  
"Quit your bellyaching swamp breath, at least she ain't here to bully us around for screwing up," said Lance who was just bored out of his mind.  
  
Lance had been a lot grumpier than usual ever since the incident with Mystique. This was because Kitty had been calling him a lot less for some reason. He didn't know why, she just stopped talking to him. At school he couldn't get close enough to her because Kurt was always near. Because of this Lance was beginning to grow especially distasteful of the blue mutant.  
  
"Hey guys!" yelled Pietro as he sped in to the room unexpectedly and startling everybody.  
  
"Ugh! Don't do that Pietro!" yelled Wanda.  
  
"Sorry, but I think you guys should take a look outside!" said the speed demon with great excitement.  
  
Curiously, the rest of the Brotherhood rushed outside to see what the commotion was about. When they arrived, they were greeted with five metal orbs that looked ready to accept passengers.  
  
"Does this mean what I think it means?" said Lance with an eager grin.  
  
"You bet! Payback time is finally here!" said Pietro as they all eagerly stepped in to the orbs and were whisked off in to the sky.  
  
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"WHAT!? MY LITTLE BROTHER'S ALIVE!" exclaimed Scott not believing what he was hearing.  
  
"Yes Scott, he is alive. Cerebro detected him when his mutant powers manifested," said the Professor trying to calm Scott down.  
  
"I can't believe it...All this time! I should have looked for him...I...I just accepted it! I should have..." Scott was getting eccentric and started to feel a shortness of breath, for this was a lot to take in.  
  
"Calm down Scott. There's nothing you could've done. There's no way you could have known about this. It was out of your hands," said the Professor placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.  
  
He could sense Scott's mind racing like mad upon hearing this news. He had spent years in the dark, believing that he was all alone in the world and that his whole family had been taken away from him. Now, out of nowhere, his brother turns up alive and well. It was almost...Too good to be true.  
  
"Where is he?" asked Scott in a calmer tone.  
  
"He resides in Hawaii. Logan has already prepped the X-jet."  
  
"Then let's go!" said Scott as he made a mad dash for the hanger.  
  
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Jean Grey had been sitting in the living room, reading a book for school when all of the sudden she saw the X-jet take off over the cliff through the window. She put her book down as her curiosity was greatly sparked by this. Slowly, she walked over and opened the window to see where the jet was heading.  
  
'I don't remember the Professor saying anything about a training flight this afternoon,' she thought to herself as she started to walk back to the couch.  
  
Then, suddenly a mysterious shadow passed over her. She looked back out the window to see what it was...But before she could react, everything went black.  
  
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Ororo entered the front door to find the institute empty and utterly quiet, a rare thing indeed.  
  
"Hello? Is anybody home?" she said aloud as she started to look around. "Professor, Logan?"  
  
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bushes rustle. She didn't think much of it until it happened again and then the window flung open without warning. Curiously, she walked over to the window and looked outside. There was nothing...At least nothing she could see. She began to close the window...When suddenly a shadow passed over her. Before she could look up...It all went black.  
  
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Underground near the hanger where the X-jet had taken off; Kitty, Evan, and Rogue stood disappointed that the Professor had left so abruptly. They heard that he was going on some mission to Hawaii with Scott and Logan and they hoped to come along to get away from the cold for a change.  
  
"Man, why couldn't they wait for us? Did it occur to them that we might enjoy seeing Hawaii too?" said Evan with a sigh.  
  
"I guess not. They sure left abruptly though," commented Kitty.  
  
Just then, Kurt ported in to the room dressed as if he was ready to go to the beach.  
  
"The fuzzy man's ready for some sun! Hey...Vhere did the X-jet go?"  
  
"They left without us," said Rogue bitterly.  
  
"Vhat?! Aw man, and I vas looking forward to spending the veekend in a varmer climate," moaned Kurt.  
  
"I guess they Prof had other plans," said Evan. "I don't understand why he had to leave so quickly."  
  
"Me neither...Oh well. What do you say we have a snowball fight instead? Girls versus guys?" suggested Kitty.  
  
"You're on Kitten! Just let me change in to something varmer!" said Kurt as he ported back to his room.  
  
The rest soon followed, but they still couldn't shake the strange feeling why the Professor chose to leave so soon and without warning. They had known him long enough to believe that he never did something without reason unless he absolutely had to. The four teens decided to ask him about it later, but for now they decided to dispense those thoughts and focus on something else for now.  
  
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Finally, the X-jet began it's final decent towards an open field near the picturesque Hawaiian shoreline. Scott had never been this nervous before. He had gone on for the better part of a decade believing that he had lost his entire family and was all alone in the world. Now he was about to meet someone who was suppose to be dead. What should he say? What should he tell him about all that he had been through since the plane crash? What about him being a mutant?  
  
"Scott...You still with us over there?" said Logan as he let the engines power down.  
  
"Yeah...Just a bit nervous that's all. So where exactly is he?" said Scott to the Professor knowing what a gross understatement that was.  
  
"According to the readings, he should be somewhere along the beach," replied Charles as he was looking at the scanner.  
  
He could sense Scott's eagerness to see his brother again after all these years, but he still couldn't fight this feeling that this whole situation was very...Wrong somehow.  
  
"I'm going," said Scott as he dashed out of the plane.  
  
Logan was about to follow suite when he suddenly he picked up a strange, familiar scent with his nose.  
  
"Chuck...I smell company," said Logan with a grunt.  
  
"Hmm, I would have to agree. According to this there are two mutants nearby instead. One of them just arrived and is getting close."  
  
"Don't worry...I already know who it is," grunted Logan as he made started to prowl through the open fields.  
  
The Professor was about to stop him when suddenly his computer pick up one more phenomenon. There was a sudden burst of magnetic interference all through the electronic interments of the jet. It didn't take long before he realized what it must mean. He tried to contact Scott and Logan, but they had shut him out in the heat of the moment. He had to get to them soon...But he feared that he might already be too late.  
  
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As Scott made his way over the ridge towards the beach, he saw a lone figure standing in the pearly white sands. He was looking out to the sea, as if he was waiting for something. Before he saw him, Scott took in the boy's appearance. He looked slightly younger than he was, had tanned skin, and short blond hair. Then, the boy turned around sensing the presence behind him.  
  
"Alex?!" said Scott in disbelief as he walked down off the ridge and on to the beach.  
  
"Scott...SCOTT!" yelled Alex as he ran over and threw his arms around his long lost brother after a decade of absence.  
  
"Man I can't believe it! It's like you're back from the dead!" said Scott as he took in the moment.  
  
"I could say the same bro!" exclaimed Alex as he gave Scott a punch in the arm. "That was payback ten years overdue!"  
  
"And you still hit like a girl," grinned Scott. "Man I can't believe this! The doctors told me you were dead after the crash."  
  
"Yeah, the same thing happened to me. I didn't believe it, but I guess Magneto was right!" said Alex.  
  
Upon hearing that name, Scott's expression grew more concerned.  
  
"Whoa...How do you know Magneto?"  
  
"It's the weirdest thing...I wake up this morning with this burning feeling in my hands and it's been driving me nuts all day. I try to ignore it but it kept getting worse and they even started glowing," said Alex has he showed Scott his hands and briefly flashed them the same color as Scott's optic blasts.  
  
"So you're a mutant too?" said Scott.  
  
"Yeah, and I didn't know what to do until Magneto showed up. He explained everything to me. He helped me learn about what was happening to me and then he went on to tell me that you were alive. I didn't believe him at first...But when I waited here like he said you showed up...And now you're here!" said Alex with great excitement in his voice.  
  
"I'm glad to be here bro...But what about Magneto? Where is he?" asked Scott who began to feel uneasy about Magneto being involved with his brother.  
  
"Dude, he told me that as soon as you arrived, he wanted to meet you at his lab. He says he can help you and me and everybody else like us," said Alex eagerly as he led Scott off the beach and on to a ridge that had a large metal sphere that looked like it was big enough for two people.  
  
"He wants to meet me?" said Scott suspiciously.  
  
"Yeah! Come on Scott, he says he can help us!"  
  
Scott still hesitated.  
  
"Come on bro...Don't you trust me?" said Alex not really noticing Scott's anxiety towards Magneto.  
  
Scott looked in to the eyes of his long lost brother, but he was still unsure. He didn't want to say no to him, but it appeared that he wouldn't take no for an answer.  
  
"Okay...I trust you," said Scott reluctantly as he stepped in to the orb with his brother and it whisked him away up north.  
  
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Logan was still on the prowl in the trees near the shoreline where the X- jet had landed. The presence he had smelled was still there, but he couldn't quiet find it. Then, he heard a loud roar from behind him and immediately knew who it was.  
  
"Sabertooth...I thought something stunk!" grunted Logan as he unsheathed his claws.  
  
"Long time no see Wolverine! But Magneto says you're going to be too big of a problem to deal with...So he called me," said the cat-like mutant in a deep, menacing tone.  
  
"Magneto!? What the hell are you doing working for him!?" yelled Logan as the two rivals began to exchange claws.  
  
"Getting an opportunity to skin you alive!"  
  
With a roar Sabertooth pounced, but Logan easily threw him off and countered with a kick. Enraged, Sabertooth yanked a fairly bulky tree out of the ground and began to swing feverishly at Wolverine. But with his claws he was able to slice and dice the tree down to the roots. So it continued like it had in the past, and a bitter stalemate ensued.  
  
Meanwhile back at the X-jet, the Professor had given up on trying to see through the magnetic interference on the computer and wheeled himself outside to see if he could get a better psychic reading. However, before he could even begin to scan a large metal orb descended before him. Startled, he tried to wheel himself back, but then the metal orb let out several metallic tentacles and began to drag him in to it.  
  
"Don't resist it Charles, you'll only be hurting yourself," said a dark voice that appeared from behind.  
  
"Magneto! What do you want?" said the Professor as he was dragged in and levitated off the ground towards Magneto.  
  
"I simply wish to fulfill what I have worked so hard to accomplish and I want you to be there...Old friend," said Magneto ominously.  
  
Then, the Professor found himself being forced in to the metal sphere by force of Magneto's powers. He could not fight this, but he still had to warn Scott and Logan. Scott's mental signature was long gone, but Logan's did remain.  
  
'Logan, it's a trap! Magneto's here!' yelled the Professor psychically.  
  
'What?!' replied Logan as he avoided another pounce by Sabertooth.  
  
'You have to lose Logan...Let him believe he has won...You have to...'  
  
After that last part, the Professor's mind went dark. Logan continued to brawl with his arch nemesis while trying to reestablish contact, but to no avail.  
  
"I have to lose..." Logan said to himself.  
  
Then, Sabertooth let out another loud roar and charged towards him. He could have easily dodged it, but instead Wolverine braced himself and let himself get sent flying off of the cliff on to a flat rock near the water. He could have gotten up and fought on, but he stayed down. Sabertooth then walked over to the cliff and sniffed the air.  
  
"I win Wolverine," said Sabertooth with a grin.  
  
Then, two more metal spheres descended from the sky. One picked up Sabertooth, which he willingly entered. The other landed near Logan who was conscious, but looked as if he had been knocked out. As the metal tentacles made their move and lifted him in to the sphere, the Canadian mutant made his move.  
  
"Not today Magneto..."  
  
Unsheathing his claws, Wolverine tore in to the metal orb and ripped to shreds in an act of wild anger. The shiny, steel ball was cut like a hot knife through butter with his adamantium claws. When the pieces became too small toe cut any further Logan just stood and sniffed the air trying to find Scott or the Professor. However, they were already long gone.  
  
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"How much longer do you think it will be?" asked Scott as he and Alex continued to fly towards whatever lab Magneto had told them about.  
  
"I don't know, but it should be pretty soon..." replied Alex.  
  
There were no windows inside the metal orb that was taking them to who knows where. They had no idea what direction they were heading or how fast they were going. Scott began to get worried by all this. It was just happening so fast. He never expected to find his brother and he never expected Magneto to be involved. He had heard the Professor mention Magneto, but he never went in to detail about him. But whenever he came up, he always heard a tone of anxiety in his voice.  
  
"Scott...Are you okay bro?" asked Alex breaking the awkward silence that had come over the cramped metal orb.  
  
"Yeah...Just nervous I guess. This is all happening so fast," replied Scott.  
  
"I hear ya...But do you mind me asking you one thing?"  
  
"Sure, anything Alex."  
  
"What exactly happened to you after that plane crash?"  
  
Scott had hoped this wouldn't come up. Thinking about the plane crash that took everything away from him and made his life a living hell bought back so many unpleasant memories. He looked over at his brother...Who had a look in his eye that was more curious than worried for some reason. Scott took a deep breath; his brother had a right to know at least some of what happened as the images of that fateful day once again overcame his mind.  
  
"I was in a coma for weeks after the crash. I'm sure you remember that...After we jumped...My parachute caught fire. I hit the ground pretty hard after that. When I woke up...They said you, mom, and dad were all dead and everything we had went down with the plane...Everything."  
  
There was a brief silence after those words. They were hard to get out and there were some things he didn't mention, but something just kept him from revealing everything he wanted to tell him.  
  
"So what happened after that?" asked Alex eager to know more.  
  
"I...Really don't want to talk about it. Let's just say...Things didn't get any better until the Professor found me. What about you? How'd you end up living in a tropical paradise?"  
  
"Well, I guess my landing must have been a lot softer because when I got to the hospital I was just unconscious, but not in a coma. They told me you were dead and I...Was the only survivor. It was tough, but my foster parents are really great. They adopted me a couple of weeks after I got out."  
  
"At least one of us got lucky," muttered Scott solemnly, "But I thought I saw some debris hit you after we jumped. How did you avoid getting hit by that?"  
  
Alex paused for a moment, contemplating his answer.  
  
"I...Honestly don't remember. It's...Still kind of a blur."  
  
Alex's voice stammered through those last words. He heard a lot of uncertainty in his brother's voice. Scott guessed it must have been just as hard to deal with as it was for him. Scott was about to ask his brother if he knew more...But then the orb stopped.  
  
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Back at the institute Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, and Evan were in the middle of a snowball melee. Hawaii had been a bust, but that didn't mean that they couldn't improvise.  
  
"INCOMING!" yelled Evan as he heaved an oversized snowball over the mound that he and Kurt were taking cover behind.  
  
It was about to hit Rogue, but Kitty phased her through it.  
  
"Yer goin' down boys!" yelled Rogue from the other side as she readied two more snowballs.  
  
"He no fair! I thought this was a no powers game!" said Evan.  
  
"Relax mien friend. If it's powers they want, it's powers they'll get!" said Kurt with a grin as he grabbed a couple of snowballs and teleported to the girls' side.  
  
"Kurt!" yelled Kitty as he appeared.  
  
"You used your powers!" he said quickly as he began to pelt her with the snowballs.  
  
She phased through one, but soon she was laughing so hard she couldn't concentrate enough to phase through the next one. Kitty tried to fire back, but Kurt just playfully tackled her to the ground.  
  
"Here we go," grinned Rogue as she watched the scene unfold before her.  
  
"Kurt! Stop I'm ticklish!" laughed Kitty as she and Kurt rolled through the fluffy white snow.  
  
"I know," grinned Kurt as he tried to make her surrender the game by force of sheer laughter.  
  
Suddenly, out of the sky the X-jet descended on to the field. Startled, the four teens went to see what was going on. They had hoped that the others had returned from Hawaii, but when the door opened only Logan stepped out.  
  
"Logan...What happened? Where are the other?" asked Rogue.  
  
The Canadian mutant replied, "Suit up team...We've got a misson...A really big one."  
  
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Through a groggy state of mind, Professor Charles Xavier finally regained consciousness to unfamiliar surrounding. He immediately noticed that he was trapped in some strange glass tube, but he was not alone. Beside him there were two other tubes holding Jean and Ororo. They appeared unconscious, but as he was about to try and wake them up Magneto approached him.  
  
"Hello Charles...Welcome to Asteroid M," said Magneto.  
  
"Magnus...What is all this?" asked the Professor as he looked around this strange new place.  
  
Magneto slowly approached the Professor's containment tube, with a mixture of excitement and calm in his expression.  
  
"I bought you here to bear witness to the greatest event human evolution. I told you to stay out of my way, but over the past few months you have made it clear that you have no intentions of facilitating this from happening."  
  
"Whatever it is you're planning it won't work," said the Professor defiantly. "I know you Magnus, and what you are about to do will only bring destruction!"  
  
Magneto just calmly shook his head.  
  
"Still the pessimist aren't you old friend, but no matter...For you shall see eye to eye with me soon enough. I know this because I've already found a student of yours who I believe is willing to try."  
  
The Professor then looked in shock as he saw two new people enter the room from the side. One was Alex for sure and the other was Scott.  
  
"Scott...No..." then the Professor was once again consumed by unconsciousness.  
  
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AN: DUN DUN DUN!!! How's it gonna end? I'll do my best to not keep you all hanging in the dark for too long! I won't give any hints, so you'll just have to wait. So what do you think thus far? Send all your thoughts to me at slickboy444@aol.com and post them at fanfiction.net. Thanks to all who have reviewed to date and I hope you all are pleased with the progress of this fic. Until next time, stay tuned and best wishes to you all!  
  
YOU KNOW THE DRILL! REVIEW!!! 


	22. The Cauldron II

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 21: The Cauldron II  
  
This chapter is based on the same episode of Evo, however it's a bit different then the actual episode, so please bear with me.  
  
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"Professor, Storm, Jean?! What have you done?!" yelled Scott as he entered the room just in time to see the Professor, Ororo, and Jean unconscious in some strange containment tubes.  
  
"Easy Cyclops, they are fine...For now," responded Magneto calmly.  
  
"Let them go!" demanded Scott as he put his hands on his glasses.  
  
"I wouldn't do that," warned Magneto as he sensed what Scott was up to. "Those tubes are treated to the point where if you break them, the rapid change in pressure would kill them in the blink of an eye."  
  
Scott then backed off, but he remained vigilant. He still did not trust Magneto in the slightest, but then his brother put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Calm down Scott, I'm sure Magneto has his reasons," said Alex.  
  
Slowly, Scott backed off a bit. He may not have trusted Magneto, but he did trust Alex.  
  
"Well said Alex...Now, shall we get down to business?" said Magneto with a grin as he saw Scott stand down.  
  
"What do you mean? What's the point of all this?" asked Scott trying not to sound too hostile.  
  
Magneto responded by using his powers to turn on a strange-looking computer located to the side. Soon, images of DNA and outside views of the complex came in to focus.  
  
"As Alex may have already told you, I bought you here to extend an offer...An offer that Charles Xavier could never provide. You see, this complex, which I call Asteroid M, is a part of my life's work. For years now, I have dedicated myself towards the advancement of mutants everywhere and planned for the eventual overthrow of humanity."  
  
Scott felt unnerved by Magneto's words, but Alex did not seem to show any discontent thus far. It must have been the promise to relieve the pain in his hands that had him sold from the start.  
  
"Wait...Overthrow? You want to wipe out humanity?" said Scott in disbelief that somebody could ever seriously contemplate something that grand.  
  
"It is only a matter of time now," replied Magneto casually as if it wasn't a big deal. "Mutants are the future...They are the evolution of a species. And evolution cannot happen effectively, if the world is still run by weak, simple-minded homo sapians."  
  
"But why wipe them out?" replied Scott sternly. "Why choose bloodshed?"  
  
"Because mankind is SICK!" said Magneto with a hint of anger in his voice. "I have experienced first hand the intolerance, bigotry, and hate that permeates throughout this pitiful world. Mankind has long bought pain and suffering to those whom they vilify because they don't understand. That kind of hate has cost me my parents, my wife, and any hope I ever had at being a 'normal' member of society. They can stick me in concentration camps and burn numbers on to my skin...But in the end it will not deter me from fulfilling the destiny of the human race."  
  
There was a lot of angst, hate, and vengeance brewing in Magneto's tone. They were feelings that Scott was no stranger to, for he too had seen all too much of the dark side of humanity. He didn't want to let himself get sucked in to this madman's hate, but knowing what he knew about the world and what he had seen that was hard. But whenever he felt such feelings he simply glanced back over at Jean and his friends to let himself know that while there was some truth in Magneto's words, there were many lies as well.  
  
"You're not the only one to have experienced the dark side to humanity, Magneto. I too have suffered at the hands of hate, but this is no way to deal with it!" said Scott.  
  
"You've say you've suffered too?" stated Magneto, "I am aware of some parts of your past Cyclops. There is no hiding from that. I know the anger you must feel for what's happened to you. And I know that you did not deserve any of it. That is why I wish to help you and your friends out by taking part in my grandest plan."  
  
"What plan?" asked Scott.  
  
"My plan for evolution..."  
  
Suddenly a large steel door opened behind them and a huge machine came in to focus. Centered at floor level appeared to be a chamber large enough for a small group of people. Numerous lights and fixtures littered the machine that looked like something out of a dream. Scott began to grow more curious as the machine almost put a hypnotic spell on him with its grandeur. Now, the young leader's concern grew, for now the dye had been cast for something big to happen...Something very big.  
  
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Back out in the cold arctic air, a mysterious craft sped through the sky at great speeds. The craft was known as the Velocity, and it was the latest addition to the X-men's arsenal.  
  
"So vhat's the deal with this Magneto guy? Vhy did he kidnap the Professor?" asked Kurt as Logan piloted the craft.  
  
"Anything goes with Magneto. He's pretty much old-school crazy. But whatever he's got planned, we've got to stop it because it can't be good!" said Logan.  
  
"What do ya mean by old-school crazy?" asked Rogue.  
  
Logan took a deep breath, knowing that the students he helped raise were about to put their skills to the test.  
  
"Mags and the Professor use to be friends back in the day. They started off working together to form a place for mutants to learn to control their powers. But Magneto's view towards mutants in the future was a bit more...Aggressive to say the least. He has a grudge against the whole human race and has plans that are borderline genocidal. It's because of him the Brotherhood was formed in the first place."  
  
"So Magneto is basically the big bad guy. Well, what does he want with the Professor and Scott? And what about Scott's brother?" asked Kitty.  
  
"That's the million dollar question half-pint, but when it involves Magneto...Be ready for anything and everything."  
  
The Velocity continued on course towards the source of the magnetic trail left by Magneto. Nobody, not even Wolverine, knew what to expect.  
  
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"This...Is my mutant enhancement machine," said Magneto with excitement as he unveiled the grand device to Scott and Alex. "It uses the power of an ancient stone said to have enormous mystical properties. With my power, I found a way to unleash it's full potential for mutants of all kind. This machine uses the power generated from the stone to accelerate and fully enhance those who posses the X-gene. This means no more hiding behind those ruby quartz glass and no more incessant pain in the hands. It also wipes clean the human attributes that make us all weak. It makes one devoid of the emotion and feelings that plague and weaken us from true evolution. And I am offering you both the opportunity to be one of the first who will partake in this marvelous machine."  
  
It was an offer that was almost too enticing to pass up. Scott had lost his eyes eight years ago and they had caused him a great deal of pain. Now this...Man was saying that he had a way to cure him of that. But the price he was telling him seemed more than he made it out to be. He made emotion sound like something of a burden.  
  
"But...Why destroy emotion?" demanded Scott not seeing the reasons for such an act.  
  
"Because emotion makes you weak. I know it...And from what little I've learned about parts of your past Cyclops...So do you. Wouldn't you give anything not to have to feel that kind of pain?"  
  
Magneto had played an unexpected card. He was using something that Scott had struggled with for years. No matter how much he had tried in to forget about the terrible years that happened after the plight that killed his parents, he could never forget get past it. Some part of him wanted to believe this man when he said he could lift the burdens that weighed so heavily on his soul, but deep down inside he knew it wasn't true. He could feel it in his presence that Magneto was not being sincere. But then he felt his brother put his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Well Scott...What do you think?" said Alex.  
  
"I don't know...What about you Magneto? Have you gone through it?" asked Scott.  
  
"Indeed I have. This machine has made my powers grow to unimaginable levels. With this power I created this complex from an iron asteroid from space. And it shall be the centerpiece in the future world order that awaits us," said Magneto ominously.  
  
There was brief pause after those words were spoken. Alex continued to look his brother in the eye, trying to decipher what was running through his brothers' mind.  
  
"I think we should do it Scott. I think it can help us and every other mutant out there," said Alex.  
  
"But what about the Professor and the rest of my friends?" said Scott.  
  
"They too shall go through the machine. I promise you that. The reason I contained them is because I wanted to show you my point of view without Charles tainting them. I want you to make the decision...Not him."  
  
Scott was now seriously debating what to do now. Alex seemed to push him towards trying it and it was getting hard not to give in.  
  
"I don't know...I just don't," said Scott to Alex.  
  
"Look...I'm not going if you're not. I want us to be in this together bro," said Alex in response.  
  
Scott looked in to the eyes of the brother he thought he had lost so long ago. There was truth in his eyes and he believed what he saw. It was unclear whether there was more good in Magneto's offer than bad, but a choice had to be made. Finally, Scott felt compelled to follow his brother.  
  
"Okay...We'll go together," said Scott after some initial hesitation.  
  
"Thanks Scott," said Alex with a smile.  
  
"Then step forth and accept the glorious fate of all mutants," said Magneto as he opened the large steel door leading in to the core of his machine.  
  
Scott slowly began to make his way towards the machine alongside Alex, but unknown to either of them Magneto had started to equalized the pressure in the containment tubes and Jean, Ororo, and the Professor were just about to regain consciousness. Suddenly, Scott stopped cold in his tracks only a few feet from entering the machine. Then, he heard a soft voice in his head.  
  
'Scott...Is that you?'  
  
It was Jean, and she was almost awake from her unconscious state. Something in her voice made Scott stop and think again about what he was doing. He looked back at Magneto and then back at Jean and his friends. Suddenly, it occurred to him that this wasn't right. This whole thing was all wrong. Magneto wanted to drain off emotion and feeling with his machine. Scott realized that he didn't want to lose something that grand. They did cause a great deal of pain in his life, but when he looked at Jean he knew that there was still some feelings that made it all worth it.  
  
"Wait..." said Scott as he stopped.  
  
"What's wrong Scott?" asked Alex.  
  
"This isn't right. This is all wrong. I'm sorry Alex...But I can't do this," said Scott.  
  
The Professor seemed to sense Scott's decision and felt relieved that he hadn't been tainted by Magneto. Alex's expression didn't change as he saw his brother stop moments before they entered the machine. Magneto on the other hand, didn't look too concerned for some strange reason. Xavier noticed this and began to grow worried.  
  
"Are you sure Scott?" asked Alex.  
  
"Positive."  
  
There was a brief pause after Scott's answer. Then, Alex looked back in to Scott's eyes.  
  
"Then I'm sorry it has to be this way...Cyclops."  
  
Suddenly, Alex's eyes shifted in to a strange golden color and his voice changed to resemble a chillingly familiar voice. Before Scott could react he was shoved in to the machine and the doors slammed shut behind him.  
  
"NO!" yelled Jean as she saw this happen from her containment tube.  
  
Then, the Professor watched in horror as the form of Mystique replaced Alex. She looked stronger and bigger than before and had a snide smile on her face upon seeing the reaction of the three prisoners.  
  
"Mystique?!" yelled the Professor in disbelief.  
  
Then, as the machine began to fire up and unleash it's power on Scott, the master of magnetism only laughed at the looks on their faces.  
  
"You really are a fool Charles. You should have done more research. If you had then you would have known that the dead body of Alex Summers was found in a lake three days after that plane crash along with his parents. It only took the power of this machine, the enhanced deception of Mystique, and a little forgery to make you and Scott believe whatever I wanted you to believe."  
  
Charles looked upon his old friend with a mixture of shock and anger. While this was happening, Jean was frantically trying to get through to Scott through the heavily shielded walls around the chamber.  
  
"You lose Xavier. With my powers I fooled you, I fooled Cyclops, and I fooled Cerebro. I am now truly a master of deception thanks to this machine and there is nothing you can do to save your leader," taunted Mystique as she approached the containment tubes.  
  
Jean was still desperately trying to reach Scott, for she could feel the pain the machine was causing him and how badly he was trying to fight it. However, he was quickly loosing that battle.  
  
"Don't bother trying to contact him Miss Grey. Those walls have thick psionic shields that can foil any telepath. By the time this is done, Cyclops will be a fully evolved mutant, devoid of feelings and emotion," said Magneto noticing Jean trying desperately to make contact with Scott.  
  
"I...Don't...Care! I won't...Let...You...Hurt him!" said Jean with determination as she pushed her powers beyond their limits.  
  
The Professor grew even more concerned, but Magneto and Mystique remained calm feeling that they had won for sure.  
  
'Scott! Scott can you hear me?!' yelled Jean through her mind as the glow behind the door of the machine grew more intense.  
  
She couldn't hear anything, for the shielding seemed too powerful. But Jean pushed herself even farther and was starting to feel the strain of her powers...Until finally she heard something. It was a sound of great pain. It was the pain of Scott desperately trying to fight the effects of the machine, but it appeared that he was losing that fight.  
  
'Scott, fight it! Come on I know you can!' yelled Jean, hoping he was still himself.  
  
'Jean...Can't...Stop it,' replied a weak voice.  
  
'Yes you can Scott! I know you can!'  
  
'I'm...Sorry...Jean...But...' Scott's thoughts were getting weaker as the strain on his body and mind grew almost too great to handle.  
  
'Don't say that Scott...Don't even think it! You can do this, I know you can! You helped me when I thought I couldn't do it now let me do the same!'  
  
'Jean...' but there were no more words after that and Jean felt tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
'Please Scott! I don't want to lose you! I can't lose you! Please!'  
  
Then, she could feel nothing more. She nearly collapsed in her containment tube from mental strain. When she opened her eyes the machine was nearly done and Mystique and Magneto were still standing before her.  
  
"I told you it was useless to try and contact him. But you didn't listen...Now watch as the final phase of Cyclops' transformation begins!" said Magneto.  
  
But in hearing his words, Jean realized that she had contacted him through all the shielding. Magneto was wrong about one thing at least, but she didn't say anything. She was still too concerned for Scott. She didn't want him to walk out of that machine and end up nothing like the boy she had found herself so in love with for years now. But as despair nearly overwhelmed her, she heard one last voice in her head from Scott.  
  
'Don't worry Jean...You've done your part. It'll be okay...Thank you.'  
  
Scott's words didn't seemed pained anymore for some reason, but she didn't know why. Had she succeeded? Was Scott okay? Her mind began to race, but then the machine stopped and the process was complete.  
  
"It's done," said Magneto as he opened the doors.  
  
A small cloud of mist then came billowing out and a new figure began to take shape. Jean, Ororo, and the Professor watched anxiously as a new image of Scott came in to view. He was bigger, he looked a lot stronger, and had white hair now. In addition, he gave off a more commanding presence. Slowly, he approached Mystique and Magneto.  
  
"Congratulations Cyclops, you have become a truly advanced being and all weaknesses from before are hereby gone. Now, dispose of those unsightly glasses and let us see your eyes," said Magneto in triumph.  
  
Scott then proceeded to remove the ruby quartz glasses that he always had to wear and threw them away near the three containment tubes. Jean, Ororo, and the Professor let out a light gasp as they looked upon Scott's deep brown eyes for the first time. Jean's gaze was particularly strong, for she had only seen them before in psychic connections. She wanted to try and communicate with his mind again, but the words he spoke earlier stopped her before she could try.  
  
"Now do you see it Charles? Now do you see the power of my plan? With this machine and a new generation of mutants, the human race will fall and a new world order shall unfold," said Magneto ominously as he felt that he had ultimately triumphed.  
  
Just then, a strange alarm went off and lights began to flash. Startled, the master of magnetism looked to his monitor to see a strange looking helicopter flying over them.  
  
"You're wrong Magnus, it isn't over yet," said Xavier.  
  
Then, a loud explosion shook the huge complex to its core as a gaping hole was blown in to the roof.  
  
"All right team, let's show Magneto what X-men are made of!" commanded Logan as the helicopter descended.  
  
Magneto let out a magnetic shock wave to tear the craft apart...But nothing happened.  
  
"What? Plastic!?"  
  
Magneto looked over at Charles, who simply shrugged his shoulders innocently. It only made Magneto's temper boil even more as he turned to Scott.  
  
"Cyclops! Take them down NOW!" commanded the master of magnetism.  
  
But Scott didn't respond. He simply stood there as if he hadn't even heard him.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" said the impatient mutant as the helicopter drew closer.  
  
Scott's head then turned towards Mystique and Magneto.  
  
"You say we are the future...And we are to be a part of your new order. Well if that is the future...I don't want any part of it...And I won't let it happen," said Scott sternly.  
  
Then, the young mutant let forth a powerful optic blast and destroyed the central computer terminals that had powered the machine. Then he unleashed another powerful blast that sent Magneto flying back. The two captors grew shocked as they watched the scene unfold before them, while Jean, Ororo, and the Professor grew more hopeful by the second.  
  
"You fool!" yelled Mystique, "What have you done!?"  
  
"Ended you're plans for good."  
  
"ERR! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!" yelled Mystique as she pushed a button on a small, hand-held device.  
  
Then, a door off to the side opened and the five members of the Brotherhood stepped out prepared for battle. Mystique was about to attack Scott, when a loud, familiar growl was heard. It was Wolverine.  
  
"Give it up Mystique! Or you'll be messing with a Wolverine!" yelled Logan as he started to attack her.  
  
"I don't have time for this now! That's why we took 'special' precautions for you," replied Mystique as she opened another doorway.  
  
Then his arch-foe Sabertooth tackled Logan to the ground and they began to fight it out.  
  
"Sabertooth, I didn't expect you to be one of Magneto's lackeys!" taunted Logan as he began to swipe his claws as the cat-like mutant.  
  
"Anything for the chance to fight you Logan!" growled Sabertooth in response.  
  
The Brotherhood then took to fighting the other four X-men that had arrived. Wanda immediately went after Rogue, Lance attacked Kurt, Pietro fought Evan, and Blob and Toad were double-teaming Kitty. While Mystique went to revive Magneto, Scott made his way over to the containment tubes holding the rest of his family. With three quick optic blasts, he shattered the tubes like glass.  
  
"Hurry up and get the Professor out of here," said Scott upon freeing them.  
  
"Wait, what about you Scott?" asked Jean as she ran up to him.  
  
Scott responded by gently putting each hand on Jean's shoulders.  
  
"I have to destroy the machine core and make sure this place never becomes what Magneto wants it to be," said Scott gently.  
  
"Then let us help," replied Jean.  
  
"You've already helped more than I could ever thank you for Jean. Now you have to get everybody out of here and let me do what I have to," said Scott.  
  
Jean looked in to Scott's eyes...The eyes she had never seen outside the use of her powers. The machine had truly failed in eliminating what Magneto considered weaknesses. And Scott owed all that to Jean.  
  
"But what about you?" said Jean wearily, not liking what he was hinting.  
  
"I'll be okay...I promise. I just need you to trust me Jean," said Scott.  
  
Jean didn't have time to think about Scott's words, the battle in the room was getting too intense.  
  
"Okay...I trust you..." said Jean as she helped Ororo get the Professor in to the Velocity.  
  
Then, Scott ran towards the entrance of the machine and with his enhanced power, blasted a hole through the metal floor and leaped in. Upon seeing this, Jean knew they had to get out soon...But the Brotherhood wasn't going to make that easy. Each one of them was locked in a bitter stalemate with the other. Then, she saw Pietro taunting Evan as he literally ran circles around him.  
  
"Too slow Daniels! You won't win this time!" yelled Pietro as he dodged another one of Evan's spike barrages.  
  
"Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before Quicksilver!" replied Evan as he watched his projectiles miss.  
  
"Oh and you think you're gonna beat me?" asked Pietro snidely.  
  
"No...She is," smirked Evan seeing Jean approach behind him.  
  
Before the speed demon could react, he found himself flung across the room towards the fight between Wanda and Rogue. Taking in the new opportunity, Rogue used her powers to absorb the speedy mutant and knock him out cold.  
  
"Time to end this," said Rogue.  
  
Then, with Pietro's speed, she took down Wanda and knocked her out cold just like she did with her brother. Then, with Wanda's powers in hand, she neutralized the rest of the Brotherhood including Sabertooth. However, Mystique and Magneto were nowhere to be found. Suddenly, the entire complex shook violently.  
  
"We have to get out of here now!" bellowed Logan.  
  
"But what about Scott?" said Kitty.  
  
"Don't worry," assured Jean, "He said he'll be okay."  
  
There was no time for debate, the rest of the X-men rushed in to the Velocity and lifted off away from Asteroid M. Meanwhile the Brotherhood felt another shake and began to feel that the battle was lost.  
  
"I don't like the feel of that yo! I think we'd better make our escape!" said Toad as he arose from being knocked across the room from Rogue's attack.  
  
"But what about Mystique? What about Magneto and all he promised us?" said Blob.  
  
"It's over Blob...If they want to stay here and get crushed then let em! Let's just get the fuck out of here!" replied Lance as he and his teammates gathered Wanda and Pietro and fled towards the escape pods.  
  
Down in the core of the massive Asteroid, Scott was blasting his way through every mechanism in sight. He was determined to bring Magneto's insane dream down for good. He already had destroyed the hover mechanisms and the stabilization systems. Now all that was left was the glowing energy core that stood before him. But before he could destroy it with one last optic blast, two familiar figures stepped forth and stopped him. Mystique tried to do a flying kick to knock him out, but the enhanced body and attributes that Magneto had given him helped him counter it and knock her across the room with an optic blast.  
  
"WHY!? Why did you throw it all away Cyclops?!" yelled Magneto as he used the metal around him to try and encase Scott. "I gave you a free ticket on my glorious machine! I gave you the chance to be a part of a great future, but you chose to destroy it! You chose to end it before it could even began without knowing who was right and who was wrong! Why?! Why did you do it?!"  
  
Magneto tightened the metal he had encased around Scott. But, the hold wasn't tight enough.  
  
"I did it...For Alex."  
  
Then, a blinding ruby colored light engulfed the surrounding area and then Scott unleashed a massive blast of energy that shattered the core.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" yelled Magneto as his dream went up in smoke.  
  
From outside the Asteroid, the X-men watched the huge complex start to fall to earth and saw a brilliant red beam of light shoot out of the top. Around the surface of the Asteroid, balls of fire began to erupt outward and then...In one blinding burst of light, the once great base exploded in a brilliant flash. The flash was so bright that the X-men had to shield their eyes. After the explosion, two metal orbs came flying out of the fire at fantastic speeds and a single presence was still unaccounted for.  
  
"Scott..." said Jean wearily as she frantically searched for his presence.  
  
Then, suddenly Logan saw something with his acute sense of sight.  
  
"LOOK! I see him!" yelled Logan as he pointed to a small figure falling away from the Asteroid.  
  
It was Scott and he looked like his old self again, but he was unconscious.  
  
"We have to go back for him!" said Ororo as she urged Logan to take the ship down.  
  
"I'm trying but this thing ain't fast enough!"  
  
"Then I'll save him..." said Jean as she used her telekinesis to blast the door open and leap in to the cold arctic air.  
  
"Jean!" yelled Professor Xavier, but he was already too late.  
  
With her powers, Jean made herself go ever faster towards the falling Scott. The cold air of the Arctic stung as blew against her, but she still kept going. She would not lose her best friend. The ground grew ever closer and Jean reached for Scott. Suddenly, he was awakened by the cold air and slowly reached out for Jean's hand. He was still part unconscious, but he kept trying. With the ground almost there, Jean finally grabbed on to Scott's hand and held it tight. With her powers she then slammed on the breaks and slowed their decent. Finally, the two friends reached the ground and landed softly. Scott immediately collapsed in to the soft snow.  
  
"Jean...Jean is that you?" said Scott who still had his eyes closed.  
  
"I'm here Scott," said Jean as she put his glasses back his face, "Everything is going to be all right."  
  
Upon hearing those words...Those very same words that he had heard in that dream he had so long ago...Scott couldn't help but smile warmly at her even in the frigid cold. When he opened his eyes and saw Jean's face with the beautiful aurora borealis in the sky, he felt that this girl truly was the angel he had seen in that fateful dream he had all those years ago.  
  
"Thank you Jean," said Scott finally as she helped him to his feet. "I owe you big time. If it wasn't for you...I may still be alive, but everything about me would've be dead. And you saved me from that terrible fate..."  
  
"Hey...You said it yourself Scott. What are friends for?" smiled Jean.  
  
Even though she couldn't see his eyes anymore, Jean felt she didn't need to as her eyes locked with Scott's. She would always remember them for that brief moment she did see them, but for now she had everything she needed. Then, as they found their faces drifting ever closer, they were interrupted by the sound of the X-copter landing besides them. Snapping back to reality, Jean took Scott's hand.  
  
"Come on Slim, let's go home," said Jean.  
  
As Scott walked in to the Velocity, he took one look back at the now fallen asteroid that was up in flames and the brilliance of the aurora lights in the sky. He had found his brother and lost him all over again...And it hurt. But the feelings of inner pain that Scott felt were momentarily overshadowed by what he had accomplished with his friends.  
  
'That was for you Alex...Wherever you are. I still miss you bro and I always will. Hopefully one day I'll see you, mom, and dad again...And until that time comes I'll be missing you.'  
  
As Scott finished his silent prayer towards his parents and brother, he took a seat in the Velocity next to Jean.  
  
"Are you okay Scott?" asked Evan as he noticed the look on his face.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," said Scott with a small smile.  
  
That relieved his friends, but the Professor felt he had one last thing to tell him. Something important as his expression turned to one of sorrow.  
  
"Scott...I believe I owe you an apology for all this. I...Shouldn't have gotten your hopes up so much when I said I had found Alex. I had no idea that Mystique could trick us like that and I had no idea Magneto's plans would go so far. I don't know how to express how sorry I am for making you feel the loss of your family all over again."  
  
The Professor's tone was solemn and full of regret, but Scott wouldn't let that remain because there was some aspects of his words that were untrue.  
  
"It's not your fault Professor. You said it yourself; Mystique's deception runs deep. And while it does hurt to lose Alex all over again...That doesn't mean that I've lost my family," said Scott with a smile.  
  
The Professor couldn't help but smile back along with the rest of the team. As smart a man as Charles Xavier was, he too sometimes forgot that family isn't always dependent on blood.  
  
As the Velocity sped off in to sky under the lights of the aurora borealis, Scott held on to Jean's hand...With a newfound feeling of peace.  
  
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AN: Sorry for all you Alex fans out there, but he really is dead in this story. I know it may seem harsh, but remember this is AU. I just thought it would have more of an impact if Scott really did lose his entire family in that plane crash, but I did it purely for the sake of the story. Please don't hate me. This isn't the end. There are still a lot of things in this story left to tell. Stay tuned for the next chapter as all the Scott/Jean issues come to a head! So what did you think of my little twist? Like it? Hate it? Send me your thoughts at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. I hope you all liked the story thus far and best wishes to you all!  
  
WAIT! YOU HAVE TO REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW! 


	23. Turning Point

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 22: Turning Point  
  
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It had been a month since the events of Asteroid M and the X-men were in a welcomed state of calm. Mystique and Magneto had disappeared and the Brotherhood had been keeping their distance since the whole incident. While there was still great feelings of bitterness on their part, they still didn't fight them because of their unwillingness to be defeated again. Pietro still had a rivalry with Evan and Wanda still had a grudge against Rogue, but they didn't let it escalate any further than that. Now the X-men focused solely on matters of their own instead of the Brotherhood.  
  
Since the incident, Kitty and Lance hadn't spoken much despite Lance's efforts. Kitty felt alienated in a sense that Lance still fought against her and her friends despite what she thought they had. She no longer felt the same feelings for Lance that she had when she had first met him. Now Kitty knew more about Lance as a person and she didn't really feel that comfortable around him anymore because they were just so incompatible. They couldn't agree on much of anything and they couldn't even hold a decent conversation anymore. She also felt she couldn't share anything with Lance because he just wouldn't take it seriously enough. In Kitty's mind, Lance was no Kurt. She found that the time that she would usually spend talking to Lance was now being spent with Kurt. For these reasons, Kurt and Kitty's relationship had grown a lot deeper much to Lance's dismay.  
  
Scott and Jean also grew a lot closer since Asteroid M. Even though it was quite a devastating blow to find his brother and lose him all over again, Jean helped Scott through it all. She found herself helping him in the same way he had helped her when she couldn't control her powers. Even though Scott didn't like to talk about it because of his private nature, he was still comfortable telling Jean. They spent a lot of time together, but they always insisted that they were 'just friends.' This was a little hard to believe on the part of the rest of the group because they acted so much like a couple that it was somewhat frustrating that they didn't see it. However, after such events as the Duncan incident and Asteroid M both of the older teens had begun reconsidering their 'only friends' relationship in turn for something more.  
  
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It was a crisp Thursday night and most of the team was simply relaxing after a nighttime danger room session. There was school in the morning, so sleep was definitely starting to sound good right about now, then the phone rang.  
  
"The fuzzy dude's got it!" said Kurt as he ran towards the ringing phone and answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
For a moment there was no response, but soon Kurt heard the all too familiar voice at the other end.  
  
"Is Kitty there?"  
  
Kurt knew that voice. He'd know that voice anywhere; it was Lance.  
  
"Vhat do you vant Lance?" said Kurt with a noticeably irked tone.  
  
"I 'vant' to talk to Kitty. It's none of your business fur ball!" replied Lance with a mocking tone in his voice.  
  
"Kurt, who's on the phone?" asked Kitty as she walked in to the room and noticed the distressed look on her friends face.  
  
"It's Lance," said Kurt flatly as he handed her the phone.  
  
"Oh...Thanks," said Kitty wearily, not liking that Lance was calling her and trying to ruin everything again.  
  
Kurt ported out of the room with a sigh. He wished that Lance would just leave Kitty alone. He didn't like him or trust him one bit. To Kurt, Lance and Kitty too closely resembled to Jean and Duncan a couple of months ago. Now Kurt knew what it felt like to be in Scott's shoes. That whole fiasco could have ended a lot worse than it did and he desperately wanted to prevent something like that happening with Kitty.  
  
Back on the phone, Kitty was in the mist of an uneasy conversation with Lance.  
  
"Look Lance, I know you want us to start talking again, but I really don't think that is such a good idea," said Kitty upon listening to Lance's argument for at least the fifth time.  
  
"Come on Kitty, why can't we just go back to the way things were?" coaxed Lance.  
  
"We can't go back Lance..." replied Kitty sternly, "The asteroid incident, the Mystique thing, and you and the Brotherhood in general aren't things I can just up and forget!"  
  
"Hey, I made it a goal not to fight you in our petty brawls!" retorted Lance.  
  
"But you still fought against my friends! If you really did care, you wouldn't have fought at all!" replied Kitty getting more frustrated by this conversation.  
  
"So what? You expect me to abandon my friends for yours!?"  
  
"No I expect you to make the right decision!"  
  
"You expect me to make what YOU think is the right decision!"  
  
Kitty then rubbed the sides of her head for the inevitable headache this was going to cause.  
  
"Look, this is getting nowhere Lance," said Kitty.  
  
"You're damn right it isn't!" yelled Lance back as he slammed the phone down.  
  
Kitty then fought back her anger as she put the phone back on the hook. Lance always seemed to find new ways of making her angry. She really thought she liked Lance, but he was so stubborn and just blamed all the problems he faced on everyone but himself. Either way there was no more denying how miss-matched she and Lance truly were.  
  
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Down in the danger room, Scott and Logan were fixing some of the machines that had been trashed in their latest session. It was a hard, messy job but it had to be done. Jean was in the control room with Ororo upgrading the command console, but her eyes kept casually drifting off to Scott below, who had been working with his shirt off in the hot, enclosed area.  
  
"Okay, almost done and...There!" said Ororo as the computer then came back to life with a gentle hum. "Thanks a lot for your help Jean. So how's it look?"  
  
"It looks...Great," said Jean in distracted tone.  
  
Ororo couldn't help but laugh, for she knew that Jean wasn't referring to the computer when she said that. Noticing Ororo's humored look, Jean snapped back to reality.  
  
"Oh...Uh...Sorry Ro. Just a bit distracted I guess," said Jean sheepishly.  
  
"It's quite all right Jean," smiled Ororo. "You know, I've noticed that you and Scott have gotten very close in the past few months."  
  
"Yeah...Scott's always been there for me. He helped me control my powers; he helped me with Duncan."  
  
"And you've helped him as well," said Ororo who still clearly remembered Jean's actions from the Asteroid M incident.  
  
"I guess so, but its always kind have been that way for as long as we've known each other," replied Jean whose gaze once again drifted to Scott.  
  
Ororo couldn't help but laugh again at Jean's constant distraction. Both she and Scott had been acting a lot different lately even though they keep saying their just friends. This was kind of redundant because pretty much everybody noticed from the time that they met the pair that Scott Summers and Jean Grey shared a special bond. However, there was no denying how much they've grown anymore. They were no longer the lost, famished kids they had found less than a year ago. They had grown a lot both mentally and physically...And some of that physical growth was the source of Jean's distraction.  
  
"You know Jean, there may be more there than just friendship," said Ororo breaking Jean out of her daze.  
  
"You think so?" asked Jean with a hopeful look on her face.  
  
"I know so," assured Ororo with a smile.  
  
Jean thought about those words and simply sighed.  
  
"Maybe you're right Ro. It's just that...For so many years, Scott and I had nothing to look forward to. We had no future, no hopes, and a lot of memories that we desperately wanted to forget. Now...We actually have a future when just a year ago I doubted how much longer my friends and I could actually survive. I just...I want to make it work, but I don't want to risk what we already have. If I lost Scott's friendship, I don't know what I'd do."  
  
"Don't worry Jean," said Ororo, "I can't say I know how hard your lives have been because I honestly don't. But you know...And Scott knows. This is a great time for new beginnings and a great time for letting someone special know how you really feel. Besides...They say the best relationships start from friendships."  
  
Jean took those wise words to heart. They just made too much sense to ignore in her mind. Before she and Storm left, she took one last look at Scott in the room down below and smiled. He waved and she waved back as she went upstairs.  
  
Down in the danger room, Scott was helping Logan fix and improve some of the turrets and obstacles that had been trashed in their latest session. He was mostly doing the wiring of the machines while Logan took care of the more heavy tasks. However, Scott's mind was not totally focused on the job at hand. He found himself distracted many times towards Jean in the observation deck. He would simply lose focus and stare before he forced himself to focus once more.  
  
"Man, these things are a pain in the ass to install. Too bad they've got to be thrashed later," grunted Logan he made a few extra adjustments.  
  
Scott chuckled slightly at Logan's attitude, but there was something else on his mind that had been overshadowing his thinking for the past few weeks. Well...Maybe the past few years, but it had gotten a lot more serious only recently. For a while now he had been thinking about Jean and how their relationship had changed. He felt that it was growing a lot deeper than before ever since Asteroid M. There was no doubting that losing his little brother all over again hurt, but with Jean there it didn't seem as hard this time around. She had been there for him and saved him twice through the whole thing. With him and Jean growing closer, he wondered if their relationship could evolve in to something more. Suddenly, he found himself asking Logan for advice.  
  
"Logan, have you ever really...You know, liked somebody?" asked Scott.  
  
"Pliers," said Logan callously.  
  
Scott reached in to the toolbox and absentmindedly handed him something else, but that was because he was still too distracted at this point.  
  
"I said pliers, not wire strippers! Use your head Cyke," grunted Logan.  
  
Scott sighed as he grabbed the pliers this time and continued to seek Logan's advice.  
  
"I mean have you ever felt something so strong for somebody that you just couldn't get the words out?" asked Scott.  
  
Logan grunted. "Yeah once...Most beautiful bike I ever saw. She had it all, comfortable seat, shiny rims, and a paint job like no other. I was so speechless that somebody else bought her."  
  
That wasn't quite the answer Scott had in mind, but it did have some truth in it.  
  
"But...How's the guy suppose to know if the girl feels the same way?" said Scott as he finished up the last bit of wiring.  
  
Then, Logan stood up from under the machine and cleaned his hands on a dirty rag.  
  
"Here's how I see it kid. I'd like to get this done before New Years. So if you don't tell her...I will."  
  
"No! That's okay," said Scott in a quick response. "I'll do it."  
  
"Good, now let's get this done now shall we?" said Logan as he grabbed a monkey wrench and went back to work.  
  
Scott sighed, for he knew Logan probably wasn't the best person to ask for advice on love. That or he was just especially grumpy today. It could go either way with somebody like him. But as he got back to his wiring, he contemplated what he would do next. Scott could no longer deny his feelings for Jean, not after everything they had been through together over the years. Now he was getting sick of not saying anything. It seemed that the longer he went, the more it troubled him. Either way, there was no avoiding the fact that he would have to tell Jean...And he wanted to do it as soon as he could.  
  
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Scott collapsed on his bed after finishing the repairs in the danger room. It had taken a lot longer than he thought it would, but it was over now. He just wanted to lay back and fall asleep, but he had homework to do. As he opened his books and started to work, he heard a knock on his door.  
  
"Scott?" said Jean from outside his closed door.  
  
"Hey Jean. Come on in," replied Scott hiding the fatigue in his voice.  
  
As the door opened Jean grew increasingly nervous. She felt her legs trembling slightly and her heart rate go up. She quickly took a deep breath and tried to regain her sense of calm. She didn't want to just up and tell him what she was feeling, so she was forced to improvise a little.  
  
"You look beat," commented Jean.  
  
"Yeah," replied Scott with a laugh, "I guess destroying the danger room and fixing it did a number on my energy. And I still have homework to do."  
  
"Well, I hope you don't stay up too late. We've still got that big test tomorrow in Biology."  
  
"Yeah, like that's gonna be a problem for you. Science is your best subject."  
  
"That it is, but it doesn't mean an instant A."  
  
"I guess your right," said Scott with a smirk.  
  
There was a brief pause between them. Jean could tell Scott was pretty tired from the day. She then took a deep breath.  
  
"Scott...I was thinking..." but she stopped there all of the sudden.  
  
"Yes Jean?"  
  
Jean then bit her lip, struggling to find the right words. But her mind had gone blank...And she truly didn't know what to say.  
  
"Uh...Never mind," said Jean abruptly.  
  
This immediately caught Scott's attention because that wasn't like her. He could tell something was on her mind.  
  
"What is Jean?" asked Scott in a concerned tone.  
  
"It's...Nothing really."  
  
"Come on Jean, don't do that. I know something's wrong. What's bothering you?"  
  
"Nothing...Well, there is something, but it's late and I know you're tired," said Jean getting a little more nervous.  
  
Jean wanted to say more to him, but she just couldn't find the right words. She tried, but her nerves were just too shot.  
  
"I'm never too tired to listen to my best friend, Jean. Now come on...Tell me," coaxed Scott worried about what was bothering her.  
  
"I've kind of been meaning to talk to about something, but now's not the time. We'll talk tomorrow after school, okay?"  
  
"But don't you have soccer practice tomorrow?" asked Scott in return, who had become very intrigued on what Jean wanted to talk about. From the feelings he could gather from her expression, he could tell it was something important.  
  
"Oh yeah, and you have track," realized Jean sheepishly.  
  
"Well, why don't we talk afterwards? It's not like I won't be around later," assured Scott.  
  
Jean thought about that. She came wanting to talk to him now, but so far she had just made a fool of herself. She couldn't get the words out that she wanted despite her best efforts. She knew she was just no good at letting her feelings out after spending a lifetime bottling them up inside. Scott had always been the one person she could let these feelings out with, but this particular issue concerning her relationship with him was just too much to let out on her part.  
  
"Okay," she said finally. "We'll talk tomorrow then."  
  
"Great, just remember that I'm always here if something's bothering you," said Scott as he put an arm around her and gave her a gentle hug.  
  
Jean felt calmed by the feeling of his touch and his words. It was nothing new for the both of them, but lately it had been growing more meaningful. There was no denying that.  
  
"I know Scott...Thank you," said Jean with a smile as she got up and started to leave.  
  
"Night Jean," said Scott with a smile.  
  
Jean stopped and smiled back at him.  
  
"Good night Scott."  
  
After that Jean retired to her room and got ready for bed. She desperately wanted to tell Scott the feelings she had been dealing with for him over all the time she had known him. But she just couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to. Hopefully tomorrow would bring something new. They weren't on the streets anymore, so she didn't have to worry about him not being there.  
  
Just then Jean had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. It felt like a strange sense of foreboding that something bad was going to happen. It made her head ache and her mind spin. She took a deep breath and lay back on her bed and tried to forget this strange feeling. It was more than intuition; it was something more...It was like a warning that something terrible was going to happen very soon.  
  
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AN: Uh oh, what could that feeling of foreboding mean? Is something bad going to happen? I won't tell you now so you'll just have to stay tuned and find out! By the way, did you get those scenes from "Blind Alley?" I just had to put those in there. Don't forget to review! I will post sooner if I get enough demand. Send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Thank you for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!! 


	24. A Terrible Event

X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 23: A Terrible Event

* * *

Before I begin...A message to some of my loyal reviewers!  
  
Miss Grinny: I took your advice! I can tell you're one of those hardcore feminists. Me, I'm neutral on the subject. I can safely say that I'm not a sexist at heart. I'm just trying to tell a story. I apologize if you or anybody else finds it offensive.  
  
Sentoris: You're right! This story still has a way to go! I hope you like how it turns out with what I have in mind.  
  
Darkness1: I know, bastard Lance is back. But wait, I have big plans for him later on!  
  
Commander-cane-7: Thanks, you've been a loyal reviewer for quite some time now! And don't worry, I won't stop this story until it's done.  
  
Rogue-wonder: Yeah, I know I probably disappointed some people when I made Mystique disguise herself as Alex. I tried to write it the other way, but that was just too boring and too much like the original, which I didn't like. I just thought it would be a bit more powerful overall if Alex actually died in that plane crash. Thanks for still liking it!  
  
Aimtbj: I'm glad you like "Blind Alley." It's my favorite Evo episode ever! And as for the Phoenix...Well, you'll just have to wait and see! I really don't want to give it away...Yet.  
  
Sprocket: Sorry for the cliff-hanger...But it's hard getting people to send reviews. Don't worry, I do my best every week to balance work, school, and home to write a full chapter in time for the weekend. It's hard, but I do my best each and every week.  
  
Spectra2: Thanks for your praise, but fear not! This story isn't over yet. And rest assured, I will finish it! I know the last chapter was a bit of a shock, but that's exactly what I was aiming for! I'm going to try to use other episodes from the series and integrate them with my own devices, but that will be hard because I really don't want to make people angry by messing up old episodes. But I'll do my best! Thanks again and I hope you like where this story goes.  
  
Kalie: Thanks for your enthusiasm. And don't worry, I'll keep on updating so you won't have to be on the edge of your seat for too long. And don't worry, the Jott in the story is just getting warmed up!  
  
Bluefuzzykitty: I'll write as much as I can, so don't worry! And I'm glad you like the Jott, it's my favorite X-men pairing too!

* * *

The next day at school went terribly slow for Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Their minds couldn't have been more distracted by the events of the previous night. This was especially true for Jean because she still had that strange feeling of foreboding that had manifested the previous night. In addition to that she had some terrible nightmares that hindered her ability to sleep. She didn't remember the specifics on these nightmares, but they seemed to have a recurring image of Scott in pain and his presence fading from her mind. It was nothing like the normal bad dreams she had been having for years now. Jean hadn't told the Professor about this dream, only because she really wanted to forget it. It was her worst fear manifested in a dream and she hoped that's just what it was...A dream.  
  
Scott had also been nervous about the previous night. After his conversation with Logan he had thought about how he was going to talk to Jean about this. He thought about confronting her last night, but he was just so tired after the danger room session and so nervous about it he simply didn't say anything. It was hard not to; he remembered Logan's little warning about how someone else may get to her before he ever said anything. This was something Scott did not want to happen, not after the terrible outcome of the whole Duncan thing. Scott had made a promise to himself that he would tell Jean before this day was out, but that alone was a very scary thought. Enough to occupy his mind for the whole day.  
  
"Hey Scott!" came a voice from down the hall.  
  
Scott looked to the side of his locker and saw Kurt running up towards him.  
  
"Hey Kurt, what's the rush?" asked Scott.  
  
"Have you seen Kitty? She wasn't at lunch today," said Kurt.  
  
"No, sorry but I haven't seen her," said Scott as he closed his locker.  
  
"Great," said Kurt in an exasperated tone, "I haven't seen her all day. It's like she's hiding or something. I hope she's not hanging out vith Lance again."  
  
"I thought she stopped talking to him."  
  
"Ja, so did I. I hope she hasn't gone back on that," said Kurt in a worried tone.  
  
"Don't worry Kurt," assured Scott, "I'm sure she has her reasons. Hell, the person she might be hiding from could be Lance anyway."  
  
That did help calm Kurt down a bit.  
  
"I hope your right, because I really don't trust Lance. Especially not vith Kitty," said Kurt.  
  
"Yeah, I don't trust him either Kurt. If anything, he reminds me too much of Duncan."  
  
"That's vhat scares me..." said Kurt ominously knowing how that ended.  
  
Scott just sighed, for he could sympathize with Kurt's dilemma. He had know Kurt and Kitty to be very close for all they years he had known them. They understood each other and they cared about each other. He saw many parallels between him and Jean when he looked at Kurt and Kitty. And for that, he hoped for the best for both of them.  
  
"Hey, try not to think about that Kurt. Trust me it's not a pleasant thing, but whatever you do...Don't make the same mistake I did a couple months back. It'll eat you up inside if you do."  
  
"I'll try mien friend, I really vill."  
  
"Thanks...Well, I'd better get going. I'll see you around Kurt," said Scott as zipped up his backpack.  
  
"Ja, see you."  
  
After that Scott made his way down the hall for the last class of the day. He hoped he hadn't been too obvious with his friend, but Kurt's situation was too much like his own for him to ignore. He hoped that the whole thing with Lance wouldn't end up like what happened with Duncan. Scott still thought about it to this day and he had yet to forgive himself for not doing something sooner. Then again if he hadn't taken action when he did, Duncan would have raped his best friend and that was much worse. In the aftermath of what happened at that party, Duncan faced criminal charges with the law. However, just as Logan had predicted, his parents bought their son out of his mess. It was a bitter disappointment for Scott and Jean, but Duncan had faced severe probation since then and has not been allowed to play football or do any other extracurricular activities.  
  
As Scott walked in to his final class, he noticed Duncan Matthews sending him a death glare from the other side of the hallway. He still had a small mark on the side of his face from where Scott had punched him two months ago. And that mark seemed to well up with great anger as Duncan glared ominously at Scott.

* * *

"Good practice today Summers."  
  
"Thanks coach," said Scott as he walked out of the locker room at school towards his car.  
  
It was a little after 6 and the sun was starting to set over the horizon. While most of his fellow teammates were driving off, Scott drove over towards the soccer field and waited for Jean. There was nobody on the field, so they must have been allowed to return to the locker room to change. Scott just sat on the hood of his car and waited, nervous about what Jean wanted to talk about. She seemed very distressed last night when she came to him and Scott knew her well enough to understand that something was wrong. He hoped it was nothing serious because he had something very important that he wanted to tell her as well.  
  
In the locker room, Jean had just put her uniform away in her locker and grabbed her things. She was suppose to meet Scott outside any minute now where she intended to discuss something very important with him. She wanted to talk about the path of their relationship, both as friends and possibly as something even more. Jean could honestly say she had never been this nervous before and it had preoccupied her mind to no end for the entire day.  
  
"Hey Jean! Got a second?" said Taryn as Jean closed her gym locker.  
  
"Oh, hey Taryn," said Jean.  
  
Jean was still friends with Taryn, but the lingering thing with her and Scott still tainted her views towards her. However, Jean had done her best to hide those qualms with her because she knew she had no right to judge...Not after what had happened between her and Duncan.  
  
"You seemed a little distant today. Is something wrong?" asked Taryn not knowing how right she was.  
  
"No, nothings wrong," said Jean quickly in response, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately."  
  
"Well, want to go with me and some of the others and grab a bite? Maybe that'll help clear your head," suggested Taryn.  
  
"Thanks but...I'm meeting Scott outside. He said he'd give me a ride home," replied Jean.  
  
Taryn's face then lit with intrigue up as she drew her own conclusions from Jean's words.  
  
"Oh...Oh I see now," said Taryn with a suggestive look.  
  
"What?" asked Jean who was immediately annoyed by the look she was giving her.  
  
"Come on Jean, you can't hide it anymore."  
  
"Hide what?!" demanded Jean thinking that she sounded just like her friends back at the institute.  
  
"Jean...You and Scott have been acting so lovey dovey lately that it's disturbing. Don't think I haven't seen it."  
  
"I don't what you're talking about," quipped Jean even though that was clearly a blatant lie.  
  
"Come on Jean, don't play dumb with me. I ask Scott out on a date and he turns me down, not long after that you break up with Duncan. I'm not THAT stupid Jean," said Taryn trying to pry the truth out of Jean.  
  
"Hey, I broke up with Duncan because that bastard tried to rape me!" replied Jean angrily.  
  
Taryn stopped there, knowing that going any further on that path would only further enrage Jean. However, she was not done.  
  
"As bad as that is Jean, you can't deny it. I was at that party and I saw Scott come in looking for you. And I saw you two leave together," said Taryn.  
  
"I'm surprised you remembered because if I recall, you were drunk," remarked Jean sarcastically.  
  
"Hey, don't turn this on me Jean!" said Taryn who was beginning to get frustrated with her friend, "You know I'm right on some level!"  
  
Jean was about to respond to that. But when she thought about what to say, she knew Taryn was right in at least some respects...In fact, she was more right then Jean was ever willing to admit.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry Taryn. But I've just been under a lot of stress lately and it's really been getting to me. I just don't want to talk about this right now, okay?" said Jean in a calmer tone hoping to abet her friend's interrogation.  
  
Taryn sighed, for she did believe her in those last words. However, there were still things that were left unanswered.  
  
"Fine, whatever Jean. I promise I'll stop for now," said Taryn.  
  
"Thank you," said Jean in relief.  
  
"Okay, well I guess I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yeah, later Taryn," said Jean.  
  
After that Taryn walked off to catch her ride back home. Jean stayed back, gathering her things and putting them in her backpack. She had taken her time, still weary of what she was going to say to Scott when she me up with him. By now the locker room was pretty much empty and she was the only one left. The time was fast approaching when she would confront Scott and it still left her terribly nervous.

* * *

Scott watched as most of the soccer team left. The sky was growing ever darker and the streetlights had come on. Soon, he was pretty much the only one left in the parking lot. Jean still hadn't come out yet, but Scott could tell she was taking her time. Scott was almost glad she was because he was overcome with nervousness about what she wanted to talk to him about. He was also weary of what he wanted to tell her, but he remained determined to let Jean know how he felt about her by the end of the day. Then...The calm of the nearly deserted parking lot was broken when Duncan Matthews approached him.  
  
"Hey Summers! I got a bone to pick with you!" yelled Duncan as he walked towards Scott's car.  
  
"Great," muttered Scott as the former jock approached.  
  
Duncan hadn't spoken to Scott or Jean in the months after the whole party incident. He only watched them from a distance, shooting death glares towards him and Jean whenever he found the opportunity. Right now, he looked extra pissed with an enraged look in his eye.  
  
"Congratulations shades, you've ruined my life," said Duncan angrily.  
  
"What makes you say that Matthews?" replied Scott in an annoyed tone.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me Summers!" yelled the enraged teen as he stood mere inches from Scott. "Because of you and that bitch of yours, I've been stuck with probation, my parents took away my car, and worst of all I got kicked off the football team! Now how am I going to get in to college huh?!"  
  
"Study maybe?" replied Scott.  
  
"SHUT UP! This is all your fault!"  
  
"My fault!" said Scott who was getting irked by Duncan's tone. "You tried to rape my best friend!"  
  
"You should have stayed out of my way! It was none of your business!"  
  
"Not when it involves Jean!" yelled Scott in reply.  
  
"Aw, what the matter? You've got a soft spot for the prude little redhead?" remarked Duncan sarcastically.  
  
Not many people could make Scott real angry, but Duncan was seriously pushing it.  
  
"She's my best friend you asshole! And you tried to rape her! I didn't ruin your life and neither did she! You did this all to yourself! You ruined your own life..." said Scott sternly, but Duncan didn't flinch.  
  
"It wouldn't have been ruined if you hadn't butted in," said Duncan angrily.  
  
"You play with matches, you get burned Duncan. You can't lie to me. I overheard some of your 'conversations.' I know what you wanted when you saw Jean and I'm willing to bet that she isn't the only one you've tried to take advantage of," said Scott in a calmer tone, which only enraged Duncan once more.  
  
"That's none of your business!"  
  
"No it's not...But you made it my business when you messed with Jean," stated Scott.  
  
Duncan didn't say anything. He just stood before Scott with a look full of rage.  
  
"So that's it? You ruin my life all for some stupid bitch who won't even put out...You're pathetic Summers," said Duncan sternly.  
  
"Yeah? Well I'm not the one who made you do what you did and now you have to pay the price for your actions Duncan. No matter how rich your parents are or how popular you are in this school, you can't escape it...Because what goes around comes around."  
  
Scott didn't flinch in the slightest with the boy's angry stance, but Duncan never expected him to do so. He only stood there, looking back at his reflection in Scott's glasses and showing him the angriest look he could muster. Unknown to Scott, Duncan was fiddling with a small object in his coat pocket.  
  
"What goes around comes around huh? Well guess what? It works both ways."  
  
Suddenly, Duncan threw a single punch to Scott's face and knocked his glasses off. Instinctively, Scott slammed his eyes shut, but Duncan didn't stop there. He went on the punch the blinded teen again, but Scott was able to block them with ease. With a raw new sense of rage, Duncan let out an angry yell and continued to beat on Scott. The two teens fought it out, but Scott had trained with Logan on fighting before and he hadn't forgotten his skill. Duncan's attempts were in vain even though Scott couldn't see, but this only made Duncan madder. When he tried to deliver a heavy punch to the face, Scott was ready for it and used the opportunity to block and respond with his own knock out punch. Duncan fell back on to the ground, still brimming with anger.  
  
"ERRR! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" yelled Duncan as he stumbled back to his feet.  
  
Then, the still blinded Scott prepared for another barrage of hits...But Duncan had something else planned. He reached in to his pocket and grabbed the object he had been fiddling with earlier. It was a large, sharpened, switchblade knife. With rage consuming him, the blond haired teen grabbed the knife and prepared to attack Scott once again. Scott was still blinded without his glasses, but he could sense something new about the situation. He tried to hide his panic and prepared to fight Duncan off again, however it was already too late. In one quick motion, Duncan lunged forth...And plunged the knife in to Scott's stomach. Red-hot pain followed.  
  
"Now we're even Summers..." said Duncan with a half-grin as he twisted the knife that was still embedded in Scott's body.  
  
Then, Scott Summers keeled over in pain and fell to the cold, hard street below. However, it wasn't over yet. Still consumed by rage, Duncan withdrew the bloody knife and began to stab him again over and over in the stomach and the chest. Scott couldn't fight back, for he could barely stay conscious through the intense pain. Each plunge of the knife in to his body bought a strange flash of light before his closed eyes. His head began to spin and he could feel his blood spilling on to the ground. Then, Duncan withdrew the blood-soaked knife once more and stood over the now bloody body of Scott Summers.  
  
"See you in hell freak."  
  
Then, Duncan pocketed the knife and ran. Little did he know, Scott was still conscious, but he wouldn't stay that way for long. Scott tried to breath, but he only coughed up blood; he tried to move, but his muscles were shot. There were now numerous stab marks all over his torso and his blood loss was growing ever more severe. Slowly, Scott felt his world collapsing around him...Spinning in to darkness. He tried to fight it, but it was futile to do so. He had to stay awake...He couldn't let this happen.  
  
"No...I...Can't...Jean," but those were all the words Scott could manage.  
  
He wanted to tell Jean how much he cared about her today, but now he may never be able to tell her. She may never know. Scott tried not to think about it, but everything was fading too fast. He had survived a terrible plane crash, spent months in a coma, lived through three years of hell in a violent foster home, survived on the streets with no vision and no hope, and beaten Magneto only to have it all end like this. His world was fading to black and there was nothing he could do about it. Through this a last, single, blood-soaked tear fell down the side of Scott's face before he felt his body go numb.

* * *

Jean Grey was just about ready to leave the locker room and meet up with Scott...But then something happened.  
  
She yelled out as she keeled over in pain from a sharp sting that surged through her mind. It had come out of nowhere and suddenly she felt as if somebody just set off a bomb in her head. Jean closed her eyes to try and filter it out, but to no avail. She stumbled over to the sink and splashed some water on her face. It helped a little, but it was still there. It didn't feel like one of her seizures that she had been having for years now, it felt completely different if not worse. Then, Jean started breathing hard and tried to catch her breath again. Then...She had a vision. She saw something flash in front of her eyes. It was like the dream she had before, but it was far clearer and far more vivid. Before her she saw an image of Scott lying on the ground, bloody, and in pain. She saw a blurry image of somebody standing before him and stabbing him over and over again. She heard the sounds of agony and the feeling's of great pain. Then, it all stopped...  
  
Still short of breath, Jean rose to her feet and ran out the door and towards the parking lot where Scott said he would be waiting for her. As she exited the front door, she saw somebody running away from the scene. The figure looked back briefly in her direction, but it barely registered in Jean's mind as she circled the corner and was met with a grizzly sight.  
  
"Scott...Oh my God..."  
  
Jean ran over to his car to see him lying deathly still on the pavement.  
  
"Scott?! Scott!!!" yelled Jean as a terrible new fear consumed her.  
  
It was truly a ghastly scene. Scott was lying in a small pool of his own blood with many wounds scattered all over his body. His skin tone was growing paler and his breaths were short and highly labored. There were many wounds all over his body, each one of them bleeding profusely. Jean felt in horror as his mind, which had shared a special link with hers for years now, began to fade.  
  
"No...This can't be happening. Scott hang on! I'll get you home just hang on!!!" cried Jean through her tears as she carefully lifted Scott's body and laid him in the back seat and sped off back towards the institute. "Come on Scott, don't do this! Stay awake and fight it! PLEASE! I can't lose you...I can't...Lose you..."  
  
Jean's pleas devolved in to sobs as she tried to keep Scott from fading away. His mental signature was getting so weak, that she could barely find him at all. The pain Scott's wounds seemed to be projected in to Jean's mind as she pushed the car to its limits, running red lights and going in excess of 100 mph. Through this she tried to keep Scott alive, for every second was getting worse. This had been her nightmare and now it had become her reality. Jean prayed that she would wake up from all this and it was just some horrible dream, but it wasn't...It was far worse.

* * *

AN: To be continued for now. I know, big cliffhanger here. What's going to happen to Scott? Will he live or will he die? Stay tuned to find out! Don't forget to send your reviews in the mean time! Send them to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. I'll try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but until then, best wishes to you all!  
  
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING!!! 


	25. Life, Death, and Love

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 24: Life, Death, and Love**

**  
**

* * *

To my reviewers!

Reddfire: Hey! I know you probably want to kill Duncan now, but don't worry, no crime goes unpunished. By the way, I've read your stories. And I like em! Especially "Death." Jott and Romy really go good together in my opinion. When are you going to update? Also, thanks for advertising my story in one of your stories...It means a lot to me! You rock!

Random Reader: I know you'd probably never see this in the comics or the cartoon. That's why I wrote this story! I think the cartoon was just too light at times. And the comics have been so screwed up I'm not even gonna get in to it! And fear not, I have a few more things to address in this story that I'm sure you won't want to miss!

JapaneseDragon: Don't worry, I'll update as fast as I can! I promise!

Ali213: I know the cliffhangers are tough, but don't worry because I will not just leave it there. I will update at least once a week! It's hard to keep that deadline sometimes, but I will do it!

Aimtbj: Yeah, I know the cliffhangers are killer, but I like adding suspense. And don't worry, I will update until this story is over!

Bluefuzzykitty: Okay, I can tell you're freaking out a bit, but don't worry...Here's the chapter. I don't want to be the cause of any mental breakdown here.

Commander-Cane-7: Don't worry, I updated. I try my best to update at least once a week, but it does get hard at times and this one was no exception. But as long as I get feedback like yours, I'll work my hardest to keep updating!

Darkness1: I know, I hate Duncan too. As for the Lance issue, I have big plans for him in the next chapter so don't worry! I haven't forgotten! Thanks for your comments and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Emicablue: Thanks for your fascination! I try and update at least once a week, but it's hard because some of the chapters are starting to run longer than I had originally planned. But don't worry, I will update again!

A mad reader: Oops! Sorry, I didn't notice that until just now. I'm sorry, I didn't intend for that. I just couldn't find better words. So, Jen if you're reading this, I apologize!

Sentoris: Please don't have a nervous breakdown! It's not healthy! I hope this chapter will ease that anticipation. But be forewarned I'm not done yet! There are still many more Jott moments to come and there may be some more cliffhangers. Sorry, but it's the only way to get some people to review my story. But like I've said, I will continue to update at least once a week, no matter what! As for Duncan...Well, you'll just have to wait and see!

KaliAnn: Thanks for your praise! And don't worry, as long as my computer doesn't crash I'll update within a week.

Sprocket: Don't worry, I'll have future chapters up as soon as I can. But with school and work starting to become a problem and many big tests coming up, I may be pushing it. But don't worry! I'll do it for my readers!

Spectra2: I know, I know. The cliffhangers are frustrating, but I'll my best to make it so that you never have to wait too long. I use them to add suspense and to get people to review. But I'm glad you're so eager to know what happens. It only inspires me to write more.

Okay, enough for now...I think you're all ready to know what happens...Enjoy!

* * *

When Jean arrived at the institute, Scott was immediately rushed in to the medical bay. Jean wanted to go with them, but she was forced to stay out so they could work. Scott's condition looked very bad, Jean didn't have to be a doctor to know that. She saw all the bloody wounds that littered Scott's body and the image was burned painfully in to her mind. Now, she could do nothing but wait...And hope. But the images in her mind and the fading presence of Scott from her head only made her feel worse. He was dying...And there was nothing she could do about it.

Soon, the rest of the group scrambled in to the medical quarters frantically asking what was happening and Jean was forced to tell them all the bloody details again. It wasn't long before anger gave way to tears as the possibility of loosing their best friend, who had been like a big brother to all of them, began to truly sink in. Finally, they stopped asking Jean so many questions and were only left to absorb what was happening. Kurt and Kitty stayed close to each other and leaned on one another for support as they sat and worried for their friend. Evan had his face buried in his hands. Even though he was never one to show a lot of emotion, this was just one thing he couldn't hide. Rogue had already been in tears and most of her mascara had been washed away, not wanting to believe that this was happening. Jean was by far the worst, having been the one to find him first and not having been there sooner to stop all this. But it wasn't just that, it was the fact that she had felt this event coming from a dream that she didn't heed in time. That only made her feel worse.

"This is all my fault..." Jean muttered to herself, "I let this happen...He's going to die and it's all my fault."

Rogue had heard this and immediately tried to say something to comfort her friend.

"He's not gonna die Jean...Don't think like that. Don't even contemplate it. You saved him...He's gonna live because you got him here," assured Rogue as she tried to calm Jean down.

"I saw him Rogue. I felt him...I think I was too late. It's all my fault..." said Jean as more tears welled up in her eyes.

"This ain't yer fault Jean...Ya couldn't have stopped this. Don't blame yerself..."

"I saw something like this happen, Rogue. I saw it all happen in a dream. I saw blood, felt pain, and I did nothing. I knew and I did nothing to stop it. I...Did...Nothing," sobbed Jean as she forced her own guilt upon herself.

"Come on Jean...What could you have done? Even if ya did know...Would it have stopped whoever did this to him?"

Rogue's words were growing weaker as she too found it difficult to talk any more about it. Then, the doors to the medical room came open and the Professor wheeled out with a solemn look on his face.

"Professor..." started Jean, but Charles Xavier didn't have to be a psychic to know what she was about to ask.

"It's good you got him here Jean...I doubt he would have survived any longer if you hadn't. But there are just so many wounds...And he lost so much blood."

"Will he be okay!" asked Evan in an exasperated and worried tone.

"It's...Hard to say. He's critical now and he's already flat-lined once. He's still alive, but he just keeps fading. I'm sorry...But we've done all we can for him," said the Professor sadly, trying to sound strong but failing miserably.

He was still alive...But he was fading fast. It was growing all the more hopeless for the group as they wept for their friend. Logan and Ororo then came out, both with exhausted looks on their faces. They both didn't look too hopeful. Even Logan looked sad from this whole thing, but he hid it beneath a powerful sense of anger that he felt towards whoever did this.

"He's resting for now Chuck...But I don't think we can bring him back if he flat-lines again," said Logan with remorse in his voice.

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" asked Kurt desperate not to give up hope.

"Yes...You can pray," said Ororo, but that didn't help ease any fears.

While the others let this sink in, Jean arose to her feet and asked the Professor one more thing.

"Professor, can I see him?"

"I must warn you Jean...It's not a pleasant sight. I don't know if you should..." but then Jean cut him off before he could finish.

"Please Professor...I just want to be with him. Because if he does die...I don't want to be anywhere else, other than by his side," said Jean, choking on those last few words.

The Professor only had to contemplate this briefly before coming to a decision.

"Okay Jean..." said the Professor with a nod, "I suppose it would be best."

"Thank you," said Jean gratefully as she walked through the doors to the bed.

Jean let out a gasp as she saw Scott's appearance. The Professor hadn't been lying about it not being a pretty sight. Scott was lying deathly still on a medical bed with many tubes going in an out of his body. There was a slow, unsteady beep of machines monitoring his vitals. He was still breathing, but his breaths were very short and labored. His skin had grown very pale from the loss of blood, and there was a great deal of bandages all around his torso. The smell of Scott's blood permeated through the air. It sickened Jean to smell something as horrible as the blood of her best friend, but she never once contemplated leaving.

Jean pulled up a chair near the side of Scott's bed and sat besides him. Her legs were already so weak and her mind was still in a state of shock from everything that had happened. Just a few hours ago, Jean was worried about telling Scott how she felt about him, but now she worried that she may lose him forever. The thought alone bought tears to her eyes as she gently ran her fingers down his cold, pale face.

"I'm so sorry Scott...I'm so sorry," said Jean in between sobs. "I was warned that something like this would happen and I did nothing to help you. After everything you've done for me and all we've been through together, I didn't help you when you really needed it. This is all my fault Scott, you didn't deserve this. You didn't deserve any of this. I should be the one in that bed...Not you. I was the one who didn't tell you before all this happened, I was the one who betrayed you and went out with Duncan, I..."

Jean tried to go on and pour her heart and soul out to him, but she could feel his mind slipping away from her. Every passing second seemed to bring her friend closer and closer to death. She then gently held Scott's cold, limp hand.

"Don't die Scott...Please...Don't die."

* * *

Logan, Ororo, and the Professor spent the better part of a half-hour outside the door to the medical bay trying to comfort Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue. They urged them to try and get some rest, but they refused. They didn't want to leave with their friend so close to dying, so they were allowed to stay. While they sat in worry, the Professor tried to hide his own feelings of remorse for all that had happened, but like his students he just couldn't. After talking to the rest of the group, the Professor found himself discussing this whole traumatic ordeal with his fellow teachers.

"It looks bad Chuck...It looks very bad," said Logan with a great sense of worry.

"I know old friend...I wish more could be done...But..." the Professor only trailed off, unable to finish his thought.

"Is there any hope at all for him Charles?" asked Ororo who was also visible distraught from the whole ordeal.

Charles Xavier sighed with a feeling of overwhelming guilt, for he couldn't lie to himself anymore just how desperate this terrible situation was now.

"We've done everything we can Ororo...But he's still fading away from us. There are just too many wounds and he lost so much blood I just...I honestly don't think Scott will make it," said the Professor with a great deal of strain in his voice.

"Charles, don't think that...You of all people should know that we can never give up hope," said Ororo in response.

It did little to calm the Professor's fears, but it had to be said.

"I know...It's just...I don't think that this team can handle losing Scott. He's like a big brother to all of them. It was him that helped bring them all together in the first place. They're all so close and losing Scott will just...Destroy them. Especially Jean."

The Professor could sense Jean's frantic thoughts with his powers and he knew if Scott died, she would be hit the hardest. She was closer to Scott than anyone else in the world. She was in love with him. It didn't take a telepath to see that. They needed each other. They helped each other deal with all the trauma that they had faced in their lives...Trauma that even the Professor didn't know about. But he sensed they told each other what they couldn't tell him. It was getting too hopeless to think about, yet it could not be forgotten. The life of their leader and friend was hanging in the balance...And now they just sat and prayed.

* * *

With every passing second, Jean felt Scott slipping ever further from life. She had never felt so helpless before. She could feel the sadness overcoming her and her friends. She could feel all their agonizing fears of losing Scott. Jean didn't have the strength to filter them out. They were all nearly as worried as she was, for they were always close to one another. If Scott died, a part of them would surly die with them. He was a friend, almost like a brother in every way except blood. But they didn't need that. If he died, there would be nobody to play the music that he had used for so long to give them hope. If he died, there may be no more hope. It was all so wrong...She couldn't lose this boy, she just couldn't.

Time seemed to lose all meaning in the small hospital room. Nothing mattered anymore to Jean. She was going to stay here and wait...She would wait for whatever was fated for Scott. However, her hope was slipping fast as the whole situation grew more and more hopeless. Jean then found herself gently running her fingers down the side of Scott's face. He wasn't wearing his glasses, so she could feel the areas that were normally concealed from her. While looking in to his face, she felt compelled to tell him what she had hoped to tell him before all this would happen. She had to, for she may not get another chance.

"Scott...Scott I don't know if you can hear me...But I need to tell you something," she began as she took a deep breath.

"We've been through so much together since you saved me that day in the alley over 6 years ago. We've been through the worst of times...But we went through them together. Through those times I honestly started to lose hope...But you were always there to help me think otherwise. We've faced death before and we've been able to overcome it. We've been able to overcome everything...Big and small alike. And through this time you never left my side, and I never left yours. You were my sanity when I was losing my grip on reality and I was your eyes when you couldn't see. We've always shared a bond, and now I've come to realize why." Jean struggled as more tears welled up in her eyes. "Scott...I have to tell you...You have to know...That I love you. I really...Do...Love you."

Those words were so hard to say for her, but when Jean finally said them she felt both relieved and saddened. Now that she had said them, she was unsure if she would ever know if Scott felt the same way. With despair overcoming her, she gently took Scott's cold, limp hand. As she looked upon his still form, she remembered a song Scott had sang to her once. He had sung it to her when they were on the streets and she was still suffering from seizures. In the hopes that somehow Scott would hear her, Jean began to sing softly the words that he had used to comfort her all those years ago.

Upon finishing the song, Jean gently squeezed Scott's hand hoping he had heard her words. Under the soft florescent glow of the lights above, Jean placed a single kiss in Scott's cold forehead. She was exhausted in every way imaginable and was no longer able to keep her eyes from closing. With a heavy sigh, Jean collapsed in to her chair and quickly fell asleep hoping that Scott would still be there when she woke up.

* * *

In a dark, cold void Jean felt herself falling uncontrollable through a vast wasteland of nothingness. She felt paralyzed and unable to move. Looking around there was nothing but darkness, then she started to see pictures appear before her. She heard crying and saw many tears. They were the anguish of her friends and watched them stand over a grave under a cold, steady rain. Jean actually saw herself crying uncontrollably as she placed a single red rose before the tombstone. Then she saw the name on the grave...Scott Summers. Jean slammed her eyes shut and tried not to look, but then a barrage of new images flashed around her. She saw pictures of Scott being repeatedly stabbed by a dark figure, she saw images of herself losing control of her powers and endangering her friends, and finally she saw a strange vision of herself flying through the sky and being consumed by mysterious flames. Jean couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to see the dark future of what her life would be like without Scott.

"NO! NO I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" screamed Jean as she grasped the sides of her head, trying to make what she was seeing disappear.

Then, something else happened. Jean started to see other visions, only these were more memories. She saw the image of when Scott first found her on the streets and helped her gain control of her powers when she had one of her power surges. She then saw numerous images of her past self huddled up against Scott as they struggled to survive together. She then watched time move forward as they met up with their friends one by one and how they all helped each other. Then there were memories of how Professor Xavier recruited them and gave them a home. She then saw the image of Scott rushing in and saving her from Duncan when he tried to rape her and embracing her while she cried. She saw images of herself when she would hold on to Scott when either of them had a terrible nightmare. All these images were memories...Good memories in fact. They were all centered around her and Scott. The memories she saw actually made her feel calm and everything around her stopped spinning. Soon that calm was overcome with the thoughts of how all the good times she had with Scott would end if he died. Jean's mind sank as she felt that these memories would soon be all she had left of Scott. But as she was thinking that, one more memory flashed before her...This one being clearer than any one of the others. It was a memory of when she and Scott were on the streets and it was before they had met any of the others.

"Come on Jean, you can do it!" yelled an image of Scott as he knelt before another image of her grasping her head from another power surge.

"I can't...I can't do it..." cried her younger self.

"Yes you can Jean! Don't give up!" yelled the image of Scott.

"I can't help it...I can't..." said her younger self.

"No Jean, you can do it! You can't ever loose hope...Because if you did than so would I. Please Jean! Please don't give up! Don't ever give up...I know you're stronger than that. Please..."

Then, Jean watched as her younger self calmed down and collapsed in to Scott's arms. As Jean saw this she actually smiled, for she remembered that day so vividly now. It was the day when she had one of her worst power surges, but it was the day she vowed never to lose faith again...Not after the words Scott spoke on that fateful day. Then, as the picture before her faded away, she felt another presence behind her. She turned around to see Scott floating before her. He wasn't wearing his glasses and she could see his deep, brown eyes.

Slowly, Jean approached Scott in a daze. Neither of them said a word as he extended his hand to her and pulled her in to an embrace. He felt warm and lively again and Jean felt herself melt in a sense of relief that she could feel him. Then, the world around her started to fade away, but not before she felt her face drifting ever closer to Scott's and making contact with them before everything finally vanished.

* * *

Slowly, Jean felt herself awaken from her sleep. The room hadn't changed and Scott was still lying in the bed. She didn't know how long she had been asleep or if the others were sleeping as well. However, there was something different about the room now. Something had changed, but Jean couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then, she felt it in her head. She felt the strange, warm presence in her mind that she had always shared with Scott. It was their link, and it was back and much stronger than before. Then, before she could ponder this any further, she heard a soft, raspy voice.

"Jean..."

Her ears immediately perked up upon hearing Scott's voice, for now she knew what that new feeling meant. His mind was back...And so was he.

"Oh my God...Scott?" said Jean hoping this wasn't another dream.

Scott tried to sit up, but he felt his entire body sting upon trying. Never the less, he became more alert and took in his surroundings. His whole body ached and he felt very weak, but he was alive. Jean took his glasses from the table to the side and put them on his face so he could see. Upon opening his eyes, Scott's vision was blurry at first, but gradually it cleared and he could see Jean by his side. She was running her hands softly around the outline of his face and a look of overwhelming relief permeated on her face.

"I'm...Not dead," said Scott.

"Of course you're not dead Slim," said Jean with a smile, "But you were close...Too close..."

Scott let out a sigh upon hearing that, for the thought that he nearly died sent a wave of anxiety through his mind. But Jean's touch seemed to melt away that feeling as he lay there in the bed, still alive after coming so close to death.

"I'm sorry Jean...I'm sorry I scared you and the others like that," said Scott, seeing the worry on Jean's face.

"Don't apologize for it Scott," said Jean as she stroked the side of his cheek, "Its not you're fault and you know it. I'm just glad that I didn't lose you...Because I know it wouldn't be the same without you."

Jean then squeezed Scott's hand as he heard her gentle words. He knew that it was now or never. Scott took a deep breath as he gathered what little strength he had for what he was about to say.

"You won't lose me Jean, because I could never lose you either. You know I could never leave...Not after all we've been through. You said it yourself, we've been through the worst of times, but we've been through them together. I couldn't have made it through them without you the same way you always said how you could never have made it through them without me. And through all that...I realized how much you mean to me. And I could never leave this world...Without letting you know that...I love you Jean. I love you more than life in itself."

A great weight was lifted upon saying those words and even though his body stung with all his wounds, it didn't matter anymore. Jean could not fight the tears from forming in her eyes, as all the sadness was replaced with joy. She was at a loss for words now and could not speak. But she remembered that actions tend to speak more than words, and slowly bought her lips to his as they met in a soft kiss. Upon making contact, a wave of emotion was sent between them through the mind link they shared. All the pent up feelings of love, insecurity, and anxiety were shared between them fully for the first time. They didn't fight it, for it just felt so right. It took six years, but it was well worth the wait. As they reluctantly separate, Scott collapsed back on the bed. He was tired, yet relieved by all that had happened within the last few days.

"You should get some rest," said Jean as she felt his exhaustion through their link.

Scott only had the strength to nod in response, but before she could leave he told her one more thing.

"Jean, please tell the others I'm okay," said Scott as he started to nod off.

"Don't worry Scott...Everything is going to be okay now," said Jean as she placed on final kiss on his forehead and left the room.

Scott immediately felt better upon hearing those words that reminded him of that dream he had all those years ago. Only now he knew what that dream meant. To many it sounds unrealistic to see the one you love in a dream before you've even met them, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. The thought was reassuring as he was able to send her one last thought before he fell asleep.

'I love you.'

Jean only smiled through tears of joy as she replied, 'I love you too.'

* * *

The next day, when the events of what happened between Scott and Jean were revealed to Professor Xavier, Ororo, and Logan they could only say one thing.

"Well, it's about time," said Logan.

"That's for sure," responded Ororo.

Charles Xavier didn't say a word. He only sat there and smiled.

* * *

AN: That was for all you Jott fans out there. I know some of you may send me hate mail for it being sappy, but I just thought that it would take a near-tragedy to finally bring these two together. And don't worry, this story is not done with them. If you read some of the foreboding earlier in this chapter, you'll know what I mean! Stay tuned, because in the next chapter I'll show you how Kurt and Kitty will come together along with the introduction of Beast! Don't miss it! And don't forget to REVIEW! Post them on or send them to me at Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all.

HEY YOU! YOU STILL HAVE TO REVIEW!


	26. The Beast of Bayville

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 25: The Beast of Bayville**

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I updated early! But before I being, a message to my reviewers!  
  
Sprocket: You're not a dork man. I'm glad you liked it so much and don't worry, the Jott isn't over just yet! Stay tuned to see what I mean!  
  
Commander-cane-7: As always, you review my friend! Thanks and I'll try to update sooner.  
  
Miss Grinny: Don't worry, this story isn't over just yet! I still have a ways to go. And if you're a sucker for Scott/Jean, then I think you'll be very happy with some of the things I have in mind.  
  
ScottJean4evah: Nice screen name! I'm glad you like this chapter, but I will have other Jott chapters in the future, so don't think that the last chapter was last of the Jottness.  
  
KaliAnn: Thanks! I may update sooner this time if all goes well at school!  
  
Aimtbj: If you're wondering about the foreboding, read the part about the dream Jean was having in order to see what I mean! Trust me it's there! Thanks for your feedback.  
  
JapaneseDragon: I'm glad you liked it even though you're not in to Jott. It's always good to know that my story has more appeal than just Scott/Jean fans!  
  
Agent-G: I know it has its dark parts, but I try to balance it with lighter sides. Thanks for noticing and I'm glad you liked it!  
  
Darkness1: Thanks for your kind words! And if you like Kurtty, I think you'll like these next two chapters. And Beast will play a major part!  
  
Sentoris: Thanks for acknowledging my attention to detail! It's very hard to do with some parts. This chapter was especially hard because I had to integrate what I knew from the "Beast of Bayville" episode in without destroying what I wanted to do. Thanks again and I'll try to update quicker than before.  
  
Spectra2: Sorry, but he didn't die. I couldn't end it there. But who knows...This story isn't over yet! I hope you like what I have in store and I'm glad you enjoy reading it!  
  
Well that should do it for now! Enjoy!

* * *

It had been a month since the near fatal attack on Scott Summers. He had faced death and survived and was now better than ever, which bought great relief to his friends. By now he had healed from his wounds and only had a few lingering scars. As for Duncan Matthews, there was no amount of money that could save him from the law this time. Less then a week after the attack, he was arrested on charges of assault and attempted murder. Now he faced no less than 10 years behind bars. Along with surviving the whole ordeal, Scott and Jean finally started to go out as a couple, but that didn't surprise any of his friends in the slightest. They all had seen it coming a mile away and were generally happy that they had finally gotten together. They still acted a lot like they always did, which was never far from being a couple in the first place, but now they did other things like hold hands and kiss. It could honestly be said that they had never been happier. However, the near fatal ordeal that Scott went through did bring more ominous feelings to others as time went on.  
  
It was a Thursday afternoon in Bayville High and Kurt Wagner was in the midst of Chemistry class. It was being taught by one of the best teachers in the minds of the students, Hank McCoy. He was also a close friend to Professor Xavier and unknown to the rest of the world he was a mutant. But that wasn't what was going through Kurt's head. He was barely registering what Mr. McCoy was saying, but it sounded like some joke about weak chemical bonds and the school football team's offensive line. Kurt was too busy lost in his own thoughts.  
  
"Kurt...Hey Kurt," said Evan as he nudged his friend with his elbow, trying to snap him back to reality.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Dude, pay attention or you're gonna get in trouble again," whispered Evan as Mr. McCoy was doing a demonstration.  
  
"Oh...Sorry mien friend. Just distracted I guess," said Kurt sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah...Again," replied Evan.  
  
Kurt tried to listen, but it didn't take long for his thoughts to wonder again. Luckily, before anyone could notice the bell rang and everybody began to get up and leave.  
  
"Okay people, remember to read chapter 4. We will have a test sometime next week so be ready for it!" said Hank McCoy as his students left. "Oh, and Kurt can I see you for a moment?"  
  
Evan left the room and waited for him outside the door, while Kurt wearily awaited what Mr. McCoy had to say. He didn't seem angry or irritated at all, but he did look concerned.  
  
"Is something wrong Mr. McCoy?" asked Kurt after the last person left.  
  
"No, but tell me...Is everything is going okay back at the institute?"  
  
"Uh, yeah it's going fine. Vhy?"  
  
"I see..." said Hank skeptically, for Kurt was never a very good liar.  
  
"Vhat? They are! Vhat's this about?" asked Kurt getting a little anxious.  
  
"Calm down Kurt," assured Hank, "It's just that you've been spacing out a lot within the last few weeks. Now, I don't want to pry, but you've made it pretty obvious that something's bothering you."  
  
"Oh..." said Kurt sheepishly. "It's nothing really, just a lot has happened in the last month. I'm sure you heard about vhat happened to Scott."  
  
"Yes, I heard about that, but it seems you've been the one most hung up about it. Is there something else about it that's troubling you?" asked Mr. McCoy.  
  
Kurt shifted uncomfortably, for he really didn't want to talk about this any more. It had been prevalent in his thoughts for the last three weeks and while he trusted Mr. McCoy, he didn't want to reveal what he had been bothering him just yet.  
  
"Vell, nothing I vant to talk about at the moment. I appreciate your concern Mr. McCoy, but...I just have a lot on my mind, that's all," said Kurt.  
  
"Okay, I won't pry, but my door's always open if you need any help," assured Hank with a smile.  
  
"Thanks. Vell, I'll see you later then."  
  
After that, Kurt left and met up with Evan who had been waiting for him.  
  
"What was that all about man?" asked Evan as soon as Kurt walked out the door.  
  
"Nothing...He just vanted to know if anything vas wrong," replied Kurt.  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Vell what?"  
  
"Is there something wrong?" asked Evan, who seemed to get why Mr. McCoy had wanted to talk to him in the first place.  
  
Kurt just sighed, for he was exasperated that everyone was bothering about something he didn't want to talk about.  
  
"Come on Evan, I don't vant to talk about it just yet."  
  
"Fine man...Suit yourself," said Evan as they headed off to meet up with Scott and Jean.  
  
'Man, have I really been that obvious?' thought Kurt as they made their way out of the school.  
  
Indeed, he had been troubled in the aftermath of Scott's near fatal experience. It was the closest that he had ever come to losing one of his friends. They were all like family to him and he could never contemplate losing any of them. Through that whole experience, the one thing that played out the most in his head was Scott and Jean finally coming together in the end. Seeing them finally realize the deep love they had for each other, made Kurt truly realize the love he had for his own girl, Kitty. It took a near tragedy for Scott and Jean to tell each other how they felt, and the mental strain it had caused was something Kurt didn't want to have repeated. While things between him and Kitty were still better than they had been, the thought of actually telling Kitty she was something that had been plaguing his mind for quite some time now. Either way, Kurt was not willing to wait for something terrible to happen in order for him to find the strength to tell Kitty Pryde how he really felt.

* * *

After Kurt had left, Hank McCoy prepared to clean up some of the mess that a day of teaching with teenagers had inevitably left. Just as he was about to start, he keeled over in pain as an all too familiar feeling surged through his head.  
  
"No...Not now...Why now?" said Hank as he grasped his head.  
  
He stumbled throughout his classroom, knocking over lab equipment in the process. He started to say lines from a Shakespeare play in an attempt to calm himself down. It did helped a little, but he could still feel it...The beast from within trying to take control. Finally, after a good ten minutes of struggling, Hank finally regained control of himself and took a deep breath. This little 'episode' had lasted a lot longer than any others had before it had and he knew it would only get worse at this rate. For years it had been brewing inside him, the beast of his mutation trying to manifest itself in his body and mind. However, with the help of the Professor he had been largely able to contain it over the years and after that he had been relying on a special serum he had formulated. But that serum had been losing it's effectiveness lately, and if he didn't do something about it soon, somebody was likely to get hurt.

* * *

Kitty Pryde closed her locker for they day as she prepared to meet up with her friends. But just as she was getting ready to leave, she saw Lance through the corner of her eye and he was coming her way.  
  
"Oh no, not today," moaned Kitty, for things between her and Lance had been very strained lately.  
  
Desperate, Kitty waited until nobody was looking and phased in to her locker and the wall behind her in order to avoid Lance's all too familiar scrutiny. Safely concealed, she watched as Lance stood in front of her locker for a while. He seemed to be waiting for her, but Kitty didn't come out. She just waited until Lance lost his patience. Fortunately, that didn't take very long.  
  
"Damn!" she heard him say as Lance walked off back towards the front doors.  
  
Kitty sighed in relief as she phased out of the wall. Lance had just been too difficult to be around lately. He had gone from a charming wannabe, to an angry wannabe. Every time she talked to Lance it ended in either argument or disagreement. They were a very poor match for each other, but Lance didn't seem to care. He just kept trying to make her match up with him when he didn't realize that you couldn't change somebody to make them like you no matter how demanding you are. As Kitty walked down the halls towards the front door, she passed the room of one of her favorite teachers, Mr. McCoy. However, something was not right in his room.  
  
Kitty kept hearing something strange in the room. It sounded like lab equipment breaking or fists being slammed on a desk. She also began to hear Mr. McCoy yelling something out loud at nobody in particular. Kitty wearily phased through the locked door to see if he was okay.  
  
"Mr. McCoy..." said Kitty as she approached him from behind while he was clutching his head.  
  
Suddenly, he turned around and faced Kitty with a furious, animal-like face. Kitty fell back in shock, but then Hank shook his head and seemed to snap out of it.  
  
"Oh...Kitty. I'm sorry I...Don't know what came over me," said Mr. McCoy as he helped her back up to her feet.  
  
"Are you okay Mr. McCoy? You sounded...Strange," said Kitty curiously.  
  
"Yeah well...Sometimes I get a little carried away with the whole Shakespeare thing. It's really nothing to worry about."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Kitty.  
  
"Positive, now you better get going. I bet your friends are waiting for you," said Mr. McCoy sounding like his old self again.  
  
"Okay...Well, I'll see you around Mr. McCoy," said Kitty as she left.  
  
After she was gone, Hank McCoy sat back in his chair and started to take deep breaths. He was luck he gained control when he did or something bad might have happened. He had to get some help...And soon. He might not be so lucky next time.

* * *

When Kitty finally met up with her friends, she was the last one to arrive.  
  
"Hey Kitty, what took you so long?" asked Jean as she got in.  
  
"Nothing...Just had to stop by Mr. McCoy's room. He was acting kind of strange."  
  
"Strange how?" asked Scott curiously as they started to drive off.  
  
"I don't know...I walked in and he looked like he was angry or something. He had this weird growl and furious look that was almost...Inhuman," said Kitty as she tried to describe what she saw.  
  
"That sure doesn't sound like Mr. McCoy," said Jean.  
  
"Yeah, he's gotta be the coolest teacher in school. I don't think I've ever even seen him angry," added Evan who also had Mr. McCoy for science related classes.  
  
"Well, in all fairness, he wasn't acting like himself for some reason," said Kitty knowing full well what her friends meant.  
  
As this conversation continued, Kitty noticed Kurt was still not saying anything. This was rare, especially for Kurt. He would always add his own little mix of humor and opinion to a conversation, but for some reason he stayed quiet. And it wasn't just today, for he had been acting a little reclusive for weeks now. Kitty knew Kurt well enough to know when something was bothering him. They had known each other since childhood and this was definitely something that worried Kitty. She had noticed the change in his behavior since the incident with Scott and it was definitely something to worry about. However, she knew that Kurt would always talk to her when he was ready, so she didn't pry right then and there. Seeing Kurt like this tore her up inside more than she could have admitted, because he looked as though he was upset about something. And over the years she had found that whenever one of them was upset, the other would soon follow. They had always been very close in that respect and she desperately wanted to help him. However, he didn't look like he wanted to talk about it right now...Not right here in front of everybody. She would wait till later that night to talk to him, she only hoped he was okay.

* * *

"It's been happening again Charles. And now it's worse than ever," said Hank McCoy as he paced restlessly before Professor Xavier in the privacy of the institute library.  
  
"Calm down Hank, I'm sure what happened earlier today happened for a reason," said the Professor.  
  
"It doesn't matter Charles! It got so bad today that I nearly hurt somebody!" replied Hank anxiously.  
  
"But you didn't hurt them," reassured the Professor.  
  
"I know...But I may not be so lucky next time. Charles it just won't stop growing...The monster within me just won't stop. You helped me contain it all those years ago and I thank you for that. But now I think I need help again, I just don't want to become what I'm turning in to," said Hank as he collapsed in to a nearby chair exasperated.  
  
"I understand your fears Hank, but I don't think you can stop yourself from changing anymore than other mutants can."  
  
"But I can't let it change me! If it did my teaching days are over!" exclaimed Hank as he got all the more restless.  
  
"Don't worry about that just yet old friend. Why don't you let me see what I can find? Maybe I can determine why it's been getting to strong lately," suggested the Professor.  
  
"It's worth a shot I guess," sighed Hank as he let himself relax in to the chair.  
  
Xavier then wheeled himself over and place his hands upon the sides of his head. He closed his eyes and began to look within Hank McCoy's mind for the latent mutation that had been kept dormant all these years. There was some interference as he got closer, but the Professor pressed on. Then, in a dark area in the deep recesses of his mind, he heard an animal-like growl. Slowly, an image formed before him of a blue-haired beast. Then, the Professor knew he needed to go no further. He let out a gasp as he opened his eyes again and took in what he had just seen.  
  
"Well...What did you see?" asked Hank anxiously.  
  
"You were right about one thing...It is getting stronger, a lot stronger in fact," said the Professor.  
  
"It's just as I feared. I've been able to keep it dormant all these years with the serum I formulated, but each time it loses more of it's effectiveness. If the beast is getting stronger and the serum is getting weaker then there will be no stopping it!"  
  
The Professor thought about this for a moment as he listened to his friend.  
  
"Maybe that's why it's been getting so strong lately. I remember when you first came to me, you were suppressing it by sheer will power, but since you've relied on the serum that will power has been weakening allowing the beast within you grow," explained Xavier.  
  
"But I need the serum! I wouldn't have been able to keep myself from changing without it!"  
  
"You've come to believe that over the years and I think that's why you've been unable to control it. You must learn to use your mind again if you are to overcome it again."  
  
Hank just sighed in admittance.  
  
"You're probably right Charles. You do tend to know the right thing before me. I guess I just can't hide from what I am anymore, but I still want keep it dormant. I just don't want anything to keep me from teaching," said Hank as he got up from the chair he had been sitting in.  
  
"And I'll use whatever power I have to help you old friend," said the Professor reassuringly.  
  
"Thanks Charles, I owe you one," replied Hank as he began to leave, but then he remembered something else he wanted to talk to the Professor about. "Oh, and there's something else I wanted to talk to you about Charles."  
  
"What might that be?" asked Xavier.  
  
"I've been noticing lately that one of your students, Kurt Wagner, has been looking quite troubled lately. I tried to talk to him about it today, but he said he just wasn't willing to at the moment. Do you know if something's wrong with him?"  
  
The Professor sighed, for Hank had not been the only one to notice it.  
  
"I've noticed it too Hank, but he's just as unwilling to talk about it with me as he is with you," said the Professor.  
  
"Well, have you been able to sense anything around him lately? After all, you are the psychic here."  
  
"I'm afraid not. You see my students guard their thoughts and secrets with a tonicity that rivals even that of Magneto. You saw what they looked like when they first got here and you can probably guess how that might have left a few lingering mental scars."  
  
"Oh...I see," said Hank as he began to understand what the Professor was getting at.  
  
"But don't concern yourself too much with it old friend. Kurt will talk when he's ready...I hope."

* * *

Kitty walked down the halls of the institute leading from her room. Lance had tried to call again earlier that night, but she pretended that she wasn't home. It was a weak excuse, but she just didn't feel like talking to Lance about how she was feeling right now. She knew he probably wouldn't understand and since it involved Kurt he probably wouldn't care. She and Lance just weren't cut out for each other; there was no more denying that. When she first met him she was simply too enticed with his bad boy charm to see Lance for who he really was. Lately, she had avoided him at all cost, but she did it for a reason. He was just becoming too possessive and lashed out if she saw or talked about any other boy. Whenever she was around Kurt, Lance was usually at his worst. She hadn't missed the threatening looks he was sending her best friend and she didn't like it in the slightest. It reminded her too much of what happened with Duncan and Scott. That nearly cost Scott his life, and Kitty was determined to not let that happen with Kurt.  
  
"Kurt? Kurt are you still awake?" asked Kitty as she knocked on his bedroom door.  
  
"Ja, come in Kitty," responded Kurt.  
  
She opened to door to see Kurt hunched over his desk, going over one of his textbooks from school.  
  
"What cha reading?" asked Kitty casually, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Just history," replied Kurt as he turned towards his best friend.  
  
Kitty noticed dark areas under his eyes. It definitely looked like Kurt hadn't been sleeping well lately. It didn't surprise her from what she had been noticing over the weeks, but she didn't say anything because she knew he probably wouldn't want to talk about it. However, now Kitty felt that this was something she couldn't ignore.  
  
"Well, don't stay up too late. It looks like you haven't been getting enough sleep," remarked Kitty as she sat on his bed.  
  
Kurt just sighed as he closed his book and sat down next to her. He had a feeling she would know something was bothering him. They had been friends for so long that now it was almost second nature when it came to reading if something was wrong.  
  
"Vhat gave it away?" asked Kurt as he yawned tiredly.  
  
"Come on Kurt, I know you better than anybody. You can't hide from me when something's bothering you."  
  
"Ja, I guess I can't," sighed Kurt defeated in his attempts to hide it, "But I really don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Why not?" asked Kitty, still eager to know what was wrong with her friend.  
  
"It's...Complicated. That's all. I'll tell you vhen I'm ready. And rest assured, you vill be the first one I tell."  
  
"Thanks Kurt...But you know I'm going to hold you to that," said Kitty with a smirk.  
  
"I had feeling," replied Kurt, managing to smile back ever so briefly.  
  
"Well, I hope you get some sleep. It looks like you really need it."  
  
"Easier said than done," muttered Kurt.  
  
Kitty didn't like seeing her best friend like this. He looked so tired, so exhausted for reasons he wasn't willing to share just yet. She couldn't force him to talk to her, but she could always comfort him. Just then, an idea popped in to her head.  
  
"Kurt...I could stay with you tonight if it will help you sleep," said Kitty trying not to blush.  
  
Kurt looked back at her with a mixture of surprise and weariness. The thought of her sleeping in the same room with him made him anxious to no end. Even though it was nothing new, for years before they had arrived at the institute it had not been rare that they stayed together in the same room and slept by each other's side. But this was mainly in times where they both struggled with their day to day existence. Now, things were different. They were 'normal' teenagers now...That is, as normal as two mutants could be. They hadn't had a need to sleep in the same room for quite a while, but now it seemed that Kurt needed something to put his mind to rest.  
  
"Are you sure about that Kitty? I mean...Vhat if...Vhat vould the Professor say?" asked Kurt as many conflicting thoughts went through his head.  
  
"Kurt...I really don't care about that right now. I'm your friend, I trust you, and we've done this before."  
  
"I know but I..." Kurt couldn't find any more words, he was just too tired at this point.  
  
"Come on Kurt. You're going get some sleep if it's the last thing I do," said Kitty with a smile.  
  
Kurt sighed in defeat, but he didn't feel too bad about it.  
  
"Okay Kitty, you vin," said Kurt with a smile.  
  
After putting away his things, Kurt crawled in to his bed. Kitty soon followed after changing in to her sleeping cloths. Both teens had a lot of anxiety about this, but they tried to put it aside as they lay down and try to rest their weary minds. As they lay next to each other, they felt a new sense of calm come over them as their troubles that had been plaguing them seemed to melt away. Kurt finally felt as if he could sleep again. Soon they both settled in and sleep was soon to take over, but not before Kurt turned to his side and wrapped his arms around Kitty and held her close. She looked so peaceful to him, and it warmed him to know that she trusted him like this. He knew Kitty would never trust another man to hold her close...Not after all the painful memories of her father and the sick, terrible things he did to her. As she slept, Kurt placed a single kiss on her forehead before falling asleep.  
  
"Good night Kitty...Sleep tight."

* * *

The next morning, Jean walked groggily down the halls. It was Friday and it had been a tiring week with midterms and all. But as she walked by Kitty's room she noticed something...She wasn't there. Peeking in, it looked like the bed hadn't been slept in. Jean's attention then turned towards the door next to Kitty's which was Kurt's room. She was about knock on his door and ask him if he knew where she was, but then she sensed something inside and stopped. Just then, Scott came up behind and gave her a good morning kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Morning Red. Where's Kitty?" said Scott as he noticed her empty room.  
  
Jean just looked at Kurt's door and a hint of understanding came over Scott.  
  
"Oh..." he said with a smile.  
  
"Come on Slim, let's go get some breakfast," said Jean as she casually linked arms with him and led him downstairs.  
  
To them, they already had a good idea what had happened and it wasn't something that worried them terribly. In actuality, it relieved them greatly to know that maybe Kurt and Kitty were finally getting their acts together the same way they had.

* * *

Kurt and Kitty didn't talk to anybody about the other night, but it was hard for Kurt to hide the smile on his face. For the first time in weeks, Kurt didn't look or feel sleepy. Even though the others did have their suspicions, Kurt didn't say anything. Kitty did the same as the day went by more smoothly for the both of them. At the moment, Kitty was in gym class with Hank McCoy teaching. She and most of the other girls, including Jean, were playing a game of roller hockey.  
  
"Come on ladies, try to stay balanced! I want to see more goals than falls this time!" said Hank to the girls as he saw a handful of them starting to wobble on their feet.  
  
Just then, one of the younger freshmen girls was shoved out of bounds towards Hank. Suddenly, McCoy began to feel it again...The beast within him trying to get out. He felt it roar from inside him as he grabbed on to his head and tried to block it out.  
  
"No...Not here...Not now..." said Hank as struggled to subdue the beast.  
  
Then, the girl that was careening towards him was stopped when Hank put up his arms before she crashed in to him. He had a strange look on his face that almost seemed inhuman to the girl as she started to worry that she had angered him. But then...It seemed Mr. McCoy finally came to his senses as he found the strength to subdue the beast.  
  
"Sorry about that...Just, don't know what came over me," said Hank quickly as he rushed out of the gym, leaving most of the girls confused about what had happened.  
  
"What was that all about?" asked Jean as she sensed some of the strange feelings that Hank was feeling.  
  
"I don't know, but I hope it's nothing serious," replied Kitty.  
  
In the boy's bathroom nearest to the gym, Hank furiously splashed water on his face while mumbling some lines of Shakespeare. He had nearly lost it again and this time he had almost taken it out on an innocent student. This was getting to be too much for him. He could no longer fight what he was becoming, but Hank McCoy desperately wanted to stop it.  
  
"That's it," he said to himself, "I can't keep doing this. I have to do something before I hurt somebody."

* * *

"Come on Kurt! Tell me man," said Evan as he stood next to Kurt at his locker.  
  
"Evan, there's nothing to tell," said Kurt for what seemed like the tenth time.  
  
Evan had been pestering him about what had happened last night with him and Kitty all day. Kurt insisted that nothing had happened, but Evan knew him well enough to know that he was lying.  
  
"Come on Kurt, I can tell something else had to have happened."  
  
"Nothing happened okay! Kitty just came by, we talked, she helped put my fears to rest, and that's it," insisted Kurt, but Evan still looked like he wasn't buying it.  
  
"Whatever man," sighed Evan, knowing that that was probably all he was going to get out of his friend. "I still don't believe you, just to let you know. But don't think I can't see anything, because I know you dude. I'll see you later."  
  
And with that, Evan walked away leaving Kurt utterly relieved. He still felt a little guilty that he had made it seem that he took Evan for an idiot when he was actually right in the end. Kurt simply sighed, knowing that he just wasn't ready to discuss his feelings for Kitty with anybody just yet. He still had a lot to sort out, but he hoped that he would be able to tell her soon.  
  
Unknown to Kurt, somebody else was watching him from afar...Somebody who had developed a thorough distaste of Kurt from day one. It was Lance Alvers; Kitty's one time interest turned annoying enemy. He had overheard most of the conversation between Kurt and Evan and didn't like a word of it. He had been sitting back for the last few weeks while Kitty seemed to spend more and more time with Kurt. It was time that she used to spend with him and now it was all coming to a head. Lance never took that kind of shit from anybody before and he sure wasn't about to start now. Angrily, Lance stormed off away from the area, for it was time to confront Kitty.  
  
"Hey Kitty, wait up!" said Lance as he ran up to Kitty while she was closing her locker.  
  
Kitty immediately dreaded the sound of Lance's voice, for this time she couldn't hide. After all these weeks of avoiding him and his phone calls, she knew she had to confront him sooner or later. She just wanted it to be later.  
  
"Oh, hey Lance," said Kitty trying not to show any of the anxiety she felt.  
  
"Hey nothing, where have you been lately?" he demanded. "I've been calling you and trying to talk to you and you've been blowing me off for weeks!"  
  
"Well I'm sorry, but I've just been busy that's all," lied Kitty knowing he probably wouldn't buy it.  
  
"Come on Kitty, I'm not THAT stupid! What's been going on with you, huh? Why won't you talk to me?" said Lance.  
  
Kitty didn't know how to respond. It was never easy to communicate with Lance because they were just so different from one another. Kitty feared that her response would simply set off another argument that would grow out of hand because unlike their arguments over the phone, she couldn't hang up on this one.  
  
"Lance...I've had a lot on my mind the past month and well...I just don't want to talk about it now okay?" said Kitty, hoping he would drop it.  
  
Lance just sighed in frustration, for that was not the answer he was looking for.  
  
"Kitty, you've been blowing me off for weeks and you say it's because you've had a lot on your mind. That's not an excuse and you know it!" bellowed Lance who was letting his temper get the best of him again, "How am I suppose to help you if you won't tell me?"  
  
"Lance calm down!" said Kitty hoping nobody would hear this ever-growing argument. "Look, my problems don't concern you. I need to deal with them myself."  
  
Kitty tried to sound truthful, but in reality Lance was actually a major part of what had been troubling her for the last few weeks. She wanted this to end right now and she desperately wanted to walk away or have somebody step in and stop this. And when she thought somebody, she knew she meant Kurt.  
  
"Like hell they don't. Kitty I've told you before, I'm NOT stupid!" replied Lance.  
  
"I never said you were!" retorted Kitty as the conversation was now an all out argument.  
  
"Then stop acting like it! There's something you're not telling me and I have a right to know what it is!" yelled Lance who no longer had any patience for this.  
  
"Lance..." said Kitty trying to calm down, "I don't think we should talk about this any more."  
  
"Why not?" said Lance in an exasperated tone.  
  
"It's just going to get out of hand and you know it. Look, we'll talk later, but for now I think it's best if we just avoid each other."  
  
Kitty started to walk away, for she did not want to hear Lance's response. He already looked infuriated by her words because it sounded like an all out break-up to him. He wouldn't let her walk away from this one, so he reached over and forcibly grabbed her arm. Kitty tried to pull away, but his hold was tight and rough. Immediately she felt her heart rate go up and anxiety level soar. The look on Lance's face all too resembled of her angry father. For years now she had tried to put the memories of all the horrible things he did to her behind her. But that always proved difficult and it was something she still had nightmares about to this day. Only now she felt as if that nightmare was coming to life.  
  
"Kitty we're not done with this yet!" said Lance as he squeezed her arm even tighter. She tried to get away, but Lance only forced her back. "I'm sick of you acting so high and mighty! Just because you think you're some goody little princess doesn't mean you can make yourself out to be better than me!"  
  
That did it. Kitty couldn't fight her feelings of anger anymore. The way he had been talking to her and the way he had grabbed her bought back too many painful memories to deal with.  
  
With anger apparent in her eyes she phased through Lance's grip and forcibly punch him in the stomach as hard as she could. Lance, too shocked to respond, fell back in pain as he was surprised by little-miss-perfect Kitty's angry reaction.  
  
"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!?" yelled Kitty as Lance staggered back up to his feet.  
  
"Kitty, what the..." began Lance but Kitty cut him off.  
  
"I SAID DON'T EVER FUCKING TOUCH ME LIKE THAT! GOT IT!?" yelled Kitty with a mixture of anger and tears.  
  
Lance didn't say anything after that. He had never seen Kitty so angry before. He knew she never liked to be too close to somebody, but Lance never could have imagined her to act like this.  
  
"You think I'm some wannabe princess?! You think I'm some peppy little snob?! Well if you think that then you don't know me AT ALL!" yelled Kitty.  
  
Lance tried to regain his composure through Kitty's little tantrum. "Well why do you act like it then?! Huh? It's not like we can all have pretty little lives and live in a mansion..."  
  
"You think my life has been pretty?!" exclaimed Kitty with tears welling up in her eyes. "My life has been a living HELL! My mom is dead! My father use to beat the shit out of me! And I was all alone! Nobody was ever there for me except my friends!"  
  
"Hey don't talk to me about having a hard life! I grew up in an orphanage you know!" retorted Lance.  
  
"Oh please, you've already told me those stories of how you grew up being top dog at that place because everybody feared you! You had a roof over your head and warm food to eat while I had to live like a fucking street rat! Do you have any idea what it's like to go so hungry that you eat out of dumpsters!? Do you have any idea what it's like for total strangers to just up and try to kill you just because you're a worthless waste of flesh?! Do you have any idea what it's like wondering whether or not you're actually going to wake up the next day?! DO YOU?!" yelled Kitty who had tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Lance didn't know how to respond. He was too taken aback by Kitty's outrage to say anything. In being so smitten with her earlier, he had forgotten how he and the rest of the Brotherhood had first found her in that warehouse around five months ago. Kitty never talked about it and he never wanted to know. Now, he knew whether he liked it or not.  
  
"Kitty I..." but he was already too late.  
  
Kitty couldn't take this anymore. She had to leave.  
  
"Don't ever talk to me again," said Kitty plainly as she stormed off with tears still in her eyes.  
  
Lance was left in a state of total confusion. Kitty had just bore secrets that she had always kept locked up inside. Soon, Lance's confusion turned to anger as he could blame only one person for this...Kurt.

* * *

AN: I'll leave it right there for now. I know I updated sooner than last time, but I had some time last weekend to finish sooner than I thought. I'll do my best to update twice a week now, but that may be difficult with final exams coming up. But I promise that I will do my best to update more because I know how hard it is to wait sometimes. Just remember, some of these chapters are very hard to write and this one was no exception. So what's going to happen between Lance and Kurt? And let's not forget Mr. McCoy! Stay tuned to see the Lance/Kitty/Kurt love triangle come to ahead! Don't forget to review though! Send them to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
COME ON! PLEASE REVIEW! 


	27. The Beast of Bayville II

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 26: The Beast of Bayville II**

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* * *

Man, updating twice a week is really hard! This was very tough to get up so soon, but I did it! But before I begin...A quick message to some of my kind reviewers.

ScottJean4evah: I'm glad you like this story even though you're not a Kurtty fan. But don't worry! There will be more Jott to come so just hang tight for now! I hope that I don't disappoint you!

Sentoris: Thanks for your thorough review! And don't worry about being late, I don't mind just as long as you like what I've written enough to review it in the first place. I know the last chapter didn't have a lot of Jott, and this one doesn't have much more either...But just you wait! I have big plans for Scott and Jean! And if you're a fan of them, I don't think you'll want to miss it!

Darkness1: Thanks! I'm glad you like this story so much. And just to let you know, I wasn't actually planning to have Kitty hit Lance at first...But for some reason I just couldn't avoid it! Oh well, I'm glad you liked it anyway! And if you want to see Lance and Kurt fight...Just read this chapter and I think you'll be satisfied! I'm glad you like it and please keep sending me your thoughts.

KSimonT-X: I'm glad you like this version so much. I had always wanted to see Evo in a more mature way, but it never happened...So I did it for them! I believe that using emotions and angst along with action leads to a better story and that is one of the main reasons I wrote this in the first place! Thanks for acknowledging it!

Commander-cane-7: Don't worry, I'll keep it up for as long as I have a story to tell! And it's not over yet my friend!

Enchantedlight: I know, that's just Lance's character. It's obvious if you watch the show closely. I just wanted to take it a step further. I'm glad you liked it!

Agent-G: Thanks for recognizing that. I know people write about dark things all the time...But I don't like to use that as an excuse to write crap. As for the Lance thing, just read and see for yourself! I hope you like it!

Sprocket: I'm glad a Kurtty fan liked this! And I hope you like this chapter because it really revolves around them. I always thought they looked cute together!

Quill of Molliemon: Just read and see for yourself! I hope you like it!

Japanese Dragon: Yeah, I enjoyed writing that part even though I didn't originally plan it. Lance definitely deserved it in the end!

Spectra2: I know Kitty's got a temper. Mess with things like that and it will get anybody angry. I just had Kitty take it to another level!

Communist Penguin: I'm glad you think this is such a great fic. It really means a lot to me because I've been working on this story for so long now. But I won't stop! Not until I tell everything I want to tell! So don't fret, there is still plenty of story left!

Well, I know you are all probably eager to see the next part, so I'll stop for now. Enjoy!

* * *

The final bell had rung and most of the students were leaving to enjoy the up and coming weekend. However, Hank McCoy was still in his classroom working feverishly on a strange chemical that he was synthesizing in a small test beaker.

"Mr. McCoy?" said a voice from his door. "Are you okay?"

The voice belonged to Kurt Wagner as he noticed Hank's disposition on his way out.

"Oh, it's you Kurt. I'll be fine, just working on something that's all," said McCoy who didn't look up from his experiment. "Don't worry, just go and enjoy your weekend."

"Vell, okay. See you Monday then," said Kurt as he left Hank to his work.

Mr. McCoy had felt the monster within him growing too strong over the last week. Now, he was concocting what he hoped to be the mother of all serums to subdue the beast within. He had tried to use his own will power to control it, but that proved to be futile. The Professor had warned not to rely on the serum anymore, but he just couldn't help it now. His students were at too much of a risk now and he couldn't let them get hurt, even if it meant taking such drastic measures.

"It's almost time. I hope this stuff works," mused McCoy as he went through some of the final phases of his experiment.

* * *

Upon leaving Mr. McCoy's room, Kurt made a quick stop at his locker to put his books away for the weekend. It had been a long week for him. His situation with Kitty had completely occupied his mind. He had been meaning to talk to Kitty about it for quite a while now, but he noticed that she was visibly distraught from something earlier today. Kurt had been looking for her earlier that day and found her in tears after a major fight with Lance. Kurt tried to talk to her, but she just collapsed in his arms and he could do nothing but hold her. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew it couldn't have been very pleasant. From that, he blamed Lance. However, he tried not to think about him for the time being. Kitty had said earlier that she wanted to talk to him about something when they got home. As weary as he was about this, he felt it would be the best time to discuss how his feelings have grown for her. However, it did scare him to think what it might do to their friendship if they became an item. Kurt and Kitty had been the closest of friends since childhood, and now that closeness had developed in to a relationship far deeper than either of them could have ever imagined.

After putting his books away, Kurt felt a presence come up to him. At first he didn't take too much notice, then he found out who it was...Lance Alvers.

"We've got a score to settle blue boy!" said the older teen in a stern voice.

Kurt turned around to see an angry Lance Alvers facing him, but Kurt had too much distaste for this boy to be scared of him at this point. He still blamed Lance for Kitty's distraught state earlier today.

"Vhat do you vant Lance?" said Kurt in an undaunted tone.

"Don't give me that fuzzy, you know what this is about!" replied Lance who was getting angrier by the minute.

"Kitty..." said Kurt plainly as Lance was now within inches of his face.

"Damn straight! She's MY girlfriend and you've been trying to steal her away ever since we hooked up!" yelled Lance as his anger grew.

"Steal her! She's my best friend you dumb-ass! We've been best friends for years before she even met you!" replied Kurt, matching Lance's stern looks.

"Yeah right! I've seen the way you two have been hanging out and I'm not that dumb...Don't think I can't see what you've been doing," said Lance in a lower, more threatening voice.

"Vhat! That's not true!" replied Kurt, but he knew there was some truth in Lance's words.

"Bullshit! It's because of you, she said she never wanted to talk to me again!"

"That's not how I heard it...She told me it's because you touched her..." said Kurt in a serious, angry tone.

Kitty had told Kurt only so much about the argument she had with Lance, but it was easy to see how so many painful memories could reemerge from it. Kurt knew all too well what these memories dealt with and how hard they were to live with. He had deal with them too and he knew how she felt about it. Because of this, his anger towards Lance kept growing.

"I just grabbed her arm!" yelled Lance, still not seeing what the big deal was, "It wasn't like I tried to harass her!"

"But you did...And you should have known how she felt about it! Now you're blaming me for something YOU did! You've placed the blame on everyone but yourself! It's YOUR fault Lance and you know it!" yelled Kurt sternly.

Lance couldn't think of a response for Kurt's words. Yet he remained undaunted. As obvious as Kurt's observations were, Lance still blamed Kurt for all his woes with Kitty.

"It's NOT my fault!" said Lance angrily. "If you hadn't gotten so touchy- feely with Kitty we never would have had that fight to begin with!"

Kurt just grunted at Lance's stubbornness. He should have known that Lance would have been too full of himself to ever admit anything was his fault.

"I'm through vith this..." said Kurt callously as he grabbed his backpack and started to walk away.

"We're not done here demon boy!" yelled Lance as he grabbed his shoulder and forcibly turned Kurt back towards him.

Kurt's temper singed at harsh feeling of Lance's touch. Like Kitty, it bought back some rather unpleasant memories of his past. He wanted nothing more than to put Lance out of his misery right then and there. But he clenched his fist and fought back the urge.

"Yes ve are..." just then, Kurt teleported out of Lance's grip and left the older teen still brimming with anger.

"No...We're not..."

* * *

After Kurt arrived back at the institute, he pretty much shut himself off in his room for the next few hours to cool down. Lance had nearly pushed him over the edge earlier with what happened with Kitty and he was furious that he had the nerve to say that it was his fault. Ever since he started school, Lance had been complicating his life. Seeing him around Kitty tore him up inside because he could see through Lance's character to know the kind of person he truly was. He still felt that he may hurt Kitty in some terrible way and feared for her well being. Kurt remembered how distraught Kitty was upon coming home. She never said a word and looked lost in her own thoughts. Scott, Jean, Rogue, and Evan tried to find out what was wrong, but Kitty didn't say anything. Kurt already knew what happened, but didn't tell the others because he promised Kitty he wouldn't. However, he still wanted to talk to her about it because she was and always will be his best friend, and he knew he had to help her in her time of need.

Downstairs, Kitty was putting on her light jacket and preparing to go out. She wasn't going out for fun or heading out for a night on the town...She just wanted to clear her head.

"Kitty..." said a female voice from the top of the stairs, "Where are you going?"

Kitty turned to see Ororo looking down upon her with a concerned look.

"Just out for a walk," she said flatly, not wanting to reveal anything else.

"Is something wrong child?" asked Ororo seeing the troubled look on the young girl's face.

"No...I just need to get some air, that's all."

Ororo didn't have time to say anything else as she watched Kitty walk out the door. She didn't want to talk about this right now, not after what had happened earlier with Lance. Her mind was still spinning and it the event from earlier that day was still fresh in her mind. The way Lance had touched her had bought back a lot of old feelings that she had been trying to forget for a very long time. She felt so stupid getting involved with that boy in the first place and the worst thing was she let him come between her and Kurt. There was no denying that she had hurt him a great deal and the guilt seemed all too much for her to handle. Being with Lance made her realize that her feelings for Kurt were definitely deeper that she ever could have thought.

* * *

Back up in his room, Kurt felt himself getting all the drowsier as the events of the day took a toll on his energy. It was only around 9, but he felt he needed to get some sleep. Suddenly, the ringing of a phone startled him. Shaking off his sleepiness, he went to pick it up.

"Hello?" said Kurt.

"I knew you'd answer fuzzy. You always do for some reason."

Kurt immediately recognized the voice as Lance Alvers and felt an immediate surge of anger upon listening to the boy.

"Vhat do you vant Avalanche!" said Kurt sternly in response

"Meet me outside the school in 10 minutes, GOT IT?" replied Lance.

"Vhy should I?"

"Because we've got a score to settle. We never finished what we started earlier today. And it's time to settle it once and for all!"

After that Kurt heard him hang up. He didn't know how to respond. Should he meet him or should he get the others involved? But this was his problem and he knew he had to be the one to fix it. He sighed as he went back to his room and grabbed his uniform and his inducer out of the closet. Lance was right about one thing; this had to end now.

* * *

Back at Bayville High, Hank McCoy was in the final phase of his new serum that he hoped would give him back the control he needed if he was to keep teaching. It was to be the strongest formula he had ever synthesized. The Professor had warned against it, but he had to do it before the beast inside him took over for good.

Unknown to him, an eager Lance Alvers waited outside near the football field for the arrival of Kurt. He had enough of his interference and he still blamed him for the mishap with Kitty he had earlier. Lance thought the blue mutant was a coward for simply teleporting out before it was over. Lance never ran from a fight and he never took shit from anybody. He felt that Kurt and the X-men had made too much of a mockery of him and the Brotherhood. Now, it was time for him to confront Kurt once and for all without any interruptions. This wasn't a fight between the X-men and the Brotherhood; this is a fight between him and Kurt. After a few tense moments, Lance finally heard a familiar 'bamf.' Kurt had arrived.

"I didn't think you'd show up fuzzy," said Lance as he turned to face his enemy.

"You said it yourself Lance...Ve have a score to settle."

"We do...And you better not run this time!" threatened Lance as he took a step closer.

"Trust me...I vill not run! Not after vhat you did to Kitty!"

"What I did! It's all your fault she broke up with me! If you had just minded your own business none of this would have happened!" yelled Lance.

"ERR! She's my best friend you asshole! I can't mind my own business vhen I know the kind of person you really are!"

"She's just your friend..." said Lance sarcastically, "Yeah, like I believe that..."

And with that, Lance delivered a surprise punch to Kurt's face knocking him to the ground. Lance's words had caught Kurt off guard and now his anger was at a boiling point. He blocked the sting of Lance's punch out of his mind as he quickly rose back to his feet.

"You vill pay for that Lance...You vill pay for everything you've done..."

And with that, Kurt pounced upon the older teen and their fight began.

* * *

Hank McCoy looked upon his finished serum. It was still warm from the heat he had used in the final phase of making it. His nervousness had peaked as he took a hold of the small vial that he felt held the key to controlling the monster that lurked deep within him.

"Time to see if this stuff really works," said Hank to himself as he bought the vial to his lips.

In one quick motion, Hank McCoy gulped down the bitter substance. Immediately, the serum took effect...But it had the opposite effect that McCoy had hoped. Suddenly, he keeled over as an intense internal pain overtook him from within and he began to stumble throughout the room, knocking over lab equipment in the process. He howled out in pain as he struggled with the effect of the serum that was fast becoming too hard to control. Then...The worst happened. His skin was overtaken by a sudden shift of blue hair that sprouted from every inch of his body. The glasses on his face fell to the ground and shattered upon impact. The beast from within had taken shape and now it was Hank McCoy that was being suppressed.

The commotion in the science room didn't go unnoticed. Principal Edward Kelly had heard the noise from his office and went to investigate. He grew cautious as he approached the door that he sensed the commotion was coming from. Suddenly, the door flew off its hinges by a great force and sent Kelly back in to an open classroom opposite of McCoy's. He ran back to get a look at what had done this, but only saw a faint outline of a large, beastly figure climbing out the window.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Professor Charles Xavier was interrupted from reading his book by a loud alarm coming from Cerebro. As he wheeled himself over to the terminal built in to the wall, Logan and Ororo entered the room.

"What's goin on Chuck? What's with the commotion?" asked Logan.

"It's Hank...Something's happened to him," said the Professor in a worried tone.

"What do you mean?" asked Ororo.

The professor didn't respond at first, for he was busy going through the data. However, it didn't take long before the Professor made sense of the readings.

"Tell the others to suit up...We have to get to him soon before his mutation completely overtakes him...Permanently."

* * *

Kitty had been walking about Bayville for the last hour and a half. She had no direction or destination in mind. She just wanted to get away from the problems that had been festering in her mind for so long. Now, she found herself standing outside the entrance to Bayville High. She decided to take the time to rest her feet on a bench near the school. Kitty found herself just sitting and staring at the stars in the same way she had on that fateful night she ran away from her father. That night ended one nightmare, but only started another. However, she didn't regret her actions and neither did Kurt. On the streets they still had each other and in the end that helped save them until Professor Xavier found them. But since joining the institute and starting a 'normal' life, Kitty just let things get so complicated when they didn't have to be. Going out with Lance was a mistake that ended in a way she'd rather not remember. It was not as bad as the way Jean and Duncan's relationship ended, but it was still a heavy burden on her young soul.

Suddenly, a mysterious crashing noise interrupted Kitty from her thoughts. Startled, she stood up and surveyed the immediate area. She could see nothing, but she could feel some kind of presence near her.

"Who...Who's there?" said Kitty in to the empty air, still looking for her mysterious stalker.

Then, she heard a beast-like roar that sent shivers up and down her spine. Quickly, she turned around...Only to be greeted by a large, blue humanoid that towered over her and had a sinister look in it's eye. Kitty immediately fell back in shock as the beast began to close in on her. Then, the young mutant got a clear view of the beast's face.

"Oh my God...Mr. McCoy!" said Kitty in horror as she recognized the beast's face.

The beast that was Hank McCoy only let out a loud roar in response that left her ears ringing. Then, he went to grab her with his oversized, animal-like hand. However, Kitty's powers kicked in as she phased through him and started to run. But it didn't take long for the beast to start to run after her...Stalking her like she was prey.

Kitty kept running, phasing through obstacles in the process and trying to get as far away from this animal as possible. However, this beast had superhuman agility that allowed it to stay on top of the girl no matter how she ran.

"Mr. McCoy! It's me...It's Kitty! Don't you recognize me?" said Kitty trying to stop whatever had come over her one time teacher.

The beast responded by lifting a heavy lunch table with relative ease and throwing it at her with great force. Kitty phased through it, but it did nothing to deter him. The monster kept coming after her, throwing whatever was within its grasp at her. Kitty could only keep running, but no matter how fast she ran the beast was always close by. The more she ran the more enraged the beast seemed to become. The roars grew ever louder in the otherwise calm night as the chase led itself ever closer to the football field where Kurt and Lance were still fighting.

Kurt wiped the blood from his face as he got up once again from one of Lance's blows. Lance too had his fair share of bruises from the fight, but they didn't seem to matter at all to him as he readied himself for another round.

"You'll have to do better than this elf boy!" taunted Lance as he arose to his feet and prepared for another attack.

"Save it rock-for-brains! I have only begun to fight!" yelled Kurt as he lunged forth at Lance.

The older teen immediately went on the defensive blocking the agile blue mutant's punches as best as he could. Kurt may not have been as strong as Lance, but his nimble form more than made up for it. Lance started to counter Kurt's attack as he punched himself out of breath. However, he could only get minimal blows, for Kurt was still able to dodge them.

"ERR! HOLD STILL YOU LOUSY FURBALL!" yelled Lance as he let his rage take over.

Both teens were fighting themselves in to exhaustion, as both of them grew increasingly fatigued. However, this did little to stop them as they ran on their own resentment for one another. Neither teen was winning as both of them kept on taking hit after hit. There was no end in sight for the melee that just kept on going.

Suddenly, a loud roar interrupted their fight and it was soon followed by a scream. Kurt instantly recognized the cry for help.

"Oh no...Kitty."

Just then, Lance used this opportunity to deliver a single knockout punch to Kurt's jaw. There was no time to counter this time. Kurt's rage towards Lance was replaced by a sudden concern for Kitty. Lance thought he had won, but then he heard the roar again...Only this time it was much closer.

"What the hell!" said Lance as he turned around looking feverishly to locate the source.

Then, on the outskirts of the field along the track, Kitty came running out. However, the beast that was Hank McCoy was too fast and she was hit and thrown underneath the bleachers. Then, her head slammed in to an overhead support beam and was knocked unconscious from the force. Now, the beast was closing in to finish her. Then suddenly...It stopped.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" yelled an angry Kurt as he appeared right behind the beast and pounced on its head.

The beast stumbled back as it struggled to get Kurt off, but he was determined to lead it away from Kitty who was still down from earlier. With a deafening roar, the beast fell back but knocked Kurt off in the process. Then, as it got up it now had its full attention on Kurt. The beast loomed over Kurt ready to make its final attack. In the process, Kurt got his first good look at the beast's face.

"Vhat! Mr. McCoy is that you!" exclaimed Kurt as he recognized his face.

The beast didn't flinch as it slammed it's oversized fists in to the ground where Kurt was laying, but he teleported before he could make contact. However, that did little to dissuade the beast. Kurt tried to port over to Kitty to get her out of there, but the beast stayed too close. He had no choice but to try and lead it away from her, for he couldn't let her get hurt. Using the beast's rage towards his advantage, Kurt led it up to the field where he and Lance had been fighting earlier. However, Lance was no longer in sight. Kurt didn't know if he had fled or not, but that wasn't his immediate concern at the moment.

"Mr. McCoy, it's me Kurt! I'm in your class! You caught me sleeping during a lecture just yesterday!" yelled Kurt, trying to break through to the beast that was once his chemistry teacher.

The beast only lunged at Kurt again as his words did little to stop its rampage. However, Kurt refused to give up.

"You have to fight it!" exclaimed Kurt as he barely avoided another attack.

Then, from the sideline Lance Alvers came out of hiding upon seeing this strange beast interrupt what was supposed to be a fight between him and Kurt.

"Hey bigfoot!" yelled Lance as he ran towards the ongoing fight. "The elf's mine!"

Lance then rolled his eyes in the back of his head and began to unleash his powers. As the ground began to shake violently, Kurt saw out of the corner of his eye the stands where Kitty was still knocked out under start to shake and crumble. Immediately, he started to panic as his worry for Kitty once again took over his mind.

"WAIT! LANCE DON'T DO IT!" exclaimed Kurt.

But Lance did not listen to Kurt's pleas. While the beast began to lose it's balance, the bleachers where Kitty was started to crumble. She was still unconscious from the blow the beast had given her, so her powers wouldn't be able to save her. Kurt tried to focus through the large tremor that Lance was causing, but it was becoming all too difficult. However, Kitty needed him and through the violent shaking, Kurt was able to concentrate enough to teleport himself under the stands right next to Kitty. Then, as the top of the heavy-duty bleachers began to fall down over them. But before they could be crushed underneath the weight, Kurt ported them out off to the side where he kept his arms around her wanting to keep her safe.

"It's okay Kitty...You're safe now...I promise," said Kurt through the shaking.

The beast's rage was at a boiling point as the shaking that Lance caused only infuriated it more. It let out another loud, deafening roar that caused Lance to lose his concentration and collapse to the ground clutching his ears because of the noise. Now the beast had its full attention on Lance. Then suddenly, an unseen force lifted the creature off of the ground and a strange whirlwind began to form underneath it for added guard.

Lance looked above to see the X-jet hovering overhead. Jean Grey and Storm were holding the beast still with their powers and Scott and Logan were holding the plane steady.

"Oh shit, that's my cue," said Lance as he ran away from the battlefield.

Nobody chased him, for their main concern now was the beast.

"Can you hold him steady?" said the Professor as the plane lowered closer.

"I...Think so," said Jean as she and Storm struggled to hold the wildly thrashing beast.

"Looks like you're only gonna get one shot Professor," said Evan as he and Rogue stood behind his chair, holding him steady.

"Then I best make it count," said Xavier as he placed his hands on the temples of his head.

Using his powers, Professor Xavier entered the mind of the beast and began helping the stricken Hank McCoy gain control once again. It was hard, the beast had done a lot to make itself strong and Xavier began to struggle as the primitive, yet strong-minded animal kept trying to force him out. But with the urging of his students and friends, he finally started to overcome the dark deception of the beast's mind and finally, it stopped thrashing and slowly descended in to unconsciousness.

"Did it work Chuck?" asked Logan as he and Scott lowered the plane to the ground.

"I believe it did, but I'm afraid that I could only revive Hank's mind. His appearance, on the other hand, may be permanent," said the Professor as Jean and Storm helped get the unconscious beast on to the jet, but there was still one more matter to attend to.

"Hey, where's elf and half-pint?"

Back over near the bleachers, Kitty finally started to awaken from her unconscious state. Her head was still throbbing and she still felt dizzy, but all that didn't seem to register when she found herself awaken in Kurt's arms.

"Kurt?" said Kitty as her vision finally became clearer.

"I'm here Kitty. It's over now...Everything's going to be okay," smiled Kurt as he stroked the side of her face.

Kitty only smiled back as she wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Kurt...For everything."

Kurt couldn't muster a response as he looked in to Kitty's deep blue eyes. He didn't know what to say...But in the end, he didn't have to say anything. He just had to hold her right then and there and not worry about anything else.

* * *

Shortly after the team returned home, Hank awoke from his unconscious state. He was back to his normal self again mentally...But physically he was stuck in the form of the big blue beast. The Professor was confident that he could help Hank suppress the animal inside, but that's not what concerned Hank McCoy the most.

"Well, it's finally happened...My worst fear," said Hank as he looked in to a mirror feeling his furry complexion.

"It's not a total loss my friend. At least now you can suppress the animal within by your own strength," said Xavier, hoping to get him to see the lighter side of the situation.

"But still, my teaching days are over," sighed McCoy as he put the mirror away. "I should have listened to you and never tried that serum in the first place. I guess...I was just too willing to take big risks in order to keep teaching."

"All is not lost Hank," said the Professor, who hoped to ease Hank's anxiety. "Just because you can't teach at Bayville High anymore doesn't mean you can't teach. Tell me...How would you like to be a part of a school where you can truly be involved with others like you and not have to worry about your appearance."

Hank McCoy just smiled as he began to comprehend what the Professor was getting at.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" asked McCoy, who felt he already knew the answer.

"Indeed...This place could always use more help. And with someone like yourself, I think it could be truly beneficial to both my students and you as well."

Hank McCoy could only smile at the Professor's offer that was just all too good to pass up. He didn't have to be afraid of what he was here and it meant that he could keep on teaching.

"Well then," said Hank with a grin, "I guess I'd better start writing up my lesson plan."

* * *

Kitty Pryde sat out under the clear night sky simply looking at the stars. It had been a long, exhausting day for her both physically and mentally. The whole Lance issue hadn't turned out like she had hoped and Mr. McCoy's mutation went wild, but through it all something good did come out of it...Kurt. He had been there for her like he had for the greater part of her life. He had saved her once again from worse harm even after all she had put him through with Lance. Kitty felt a great amount of guilt for not listening to both herself, the others, and Kurt when it came to Lance. In the end she had made a mistake in getting involved with him, but she still felt at least one good thing came out of all this turmoil...Her true feelings for Kurt.

Just then, Kurt appeared from behind her and slowly took a seat next to her.

"Hey," said Kitty, whose mind was still lost in thought.

"Hey Kitty."

"So what did the Professor say?"

"He wasn't too mad...But he vas disappointed. He and Logan gave me the standard 'don't pick fights' lecture, but they let me off vith a warning," said Kurt as he started to look at the stars along with Kitty.

"Did you say you regretted doing it?"

Kurt just sighed, "No...Because I don't regret it. I had to be there. If I hadn't then Lance vould have never left you alone and you could have been seriously hurt. I honestly had to do it. I couldn't just sit by and do nothing...Not vhen it involves you."

Kitty's gaze shifted from the sky over to her long time soul mate. Kurt still had his inducer on, but she could still read the expression on his face. He had gone through all those tribulations to save her. It could have turned out a lot worse if Kurt wasn't there. It might have ended up like what happened to Scott...But thankfully it didn't. Still, there was one last thing that had to be done before this night was over. Kitty knew it was now or never.

"Kurt...I can't tell you how sorry I am for all that I've put you through," said Kitty as she struggled to find the right words.

"Vhat do you mean?" said Kurt as his eyes met hers.

"I mean...After all the worry and all the troubles that I bought on by seeing Lance...You still stood by me. I should have never gotten involved with him in the first place. I was...Just so shocked that somebody...Anybody could like me after everybody in the past has either hated or hurt me."

"Kitty...Don't ever think that," said Kurt as he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I don't see how anybody could hate you. You are the sweetest, nicest, most caring person I've ever known. Ve have been through so much together. I've stood by you're side vhenever your father...Attacked you. And you vere there...After my Aunt attacked me. Vithout you I honestly wouldn't be here right now. I'd have killed myself a long time ago because I felt I had nothing to live for. But because of you, I do have something to live for...I have someone out there that's worth fighting for to protect. I guess vhat I'm trying to say is...Vell, I love you Kitty."

Kurt gently stroked her cheek as his words caused tears to well up in her eyes. Kitty was now at a total loss for words and couldn't respond. She tried...But she just couldn't. All she could do is put her arm around Kurt and sink in to his embrace. She buried her face in his shoulder, for she couldn't fight back her tears. For the longest time, the both of them only shed tears of sorrow and despair, but for the first time in their lives the two young teens shared tears of happiness. Through all the nervousness, anxiety, and insecurity...Kitty was finally able to respond.

"I love you too," she said softly as she stayed in his embrace.

Words so simple spoke so many things at once as the tumultuous feelings of the past gently lifted away in the passion of a single moment. The weight had finally been lifted for Kurt Wagner and Kitty Pryde. While they would never be able to escape the terrible feelings and memories of the past...They would be able to help each other.

As Kurt and Kitty soaked up the array of emotions, they suddenly heard the gentle sound of music coming from the balcony above. It was the soft tune of a guitar...And Scott was playing it. Jean was close by his side as they both looked down at the two lovebirds and smiled at the familiar scene that they were no strangers to.

Kitty slowly pulled away and noticed Kurt's strange grin as the sound of the music filled the air.

"Did you set that up?" asked Kitty.

Kurt's grin only grew wider. "Vell...Maybe."

"But...Why?"

Kurt just shrugged as he took her hand, "Because I vanted to. Now...May I have this dance?"

Kitty only smiled as she held his hand and stood up.

"Of coarse you may Mr. Wagner...But first things first," replied Kitty with a smile.

Then, Kitty turned off his image inducer and now stood before him in his true blue form. It would have worried Kurt under any other circumstance, but the gentle smile on Kitty's face helped reassure him.

"There...Much better," said Kitty with a smile as she ran her fingers gently over his furry cheek.

Kurt could only smile back at her as they both let their bodies move to the gentle music. The words of the song seemed to speak to them as they kept dancing it the crisp night air. But no cold was strong enough to fight the warm feelings they now felt. Then, as the music kept playing, Kurt and Kitty's lips met in a soft kiss under the stars of the night.

* * *

AN: That was for all you Kurt/Kitty fans out there! What did you think? That was my first Kurt/Kitty piece ever. I always thought they looked cute together! Stay tuned, because coming up next is the 5-part saga of the PHOENIX! They didn't show it in the Evolution cartoon, but I'm showing it in my story! You won't want to miss it and all the Scott/Jean that comes with it! Don't forget to review! Post them at or send them to me directly at Until next time best wishes to you all and beware for the PHOENIX shall rise!

REVIEW...OR I SHALL PERISH!


	28. The Legend of the Phoenix

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 27: The Legend of the Phoenix**

* * *

AN: This chapter concerns the whole Phoenix aspect of Jean that the cartoon never addressed. I have chosen Dark Phoenix to be the big villain in this series, not Apocalypse (don't expect Apocalypse to be in this series). I have tried to take some aspects from the comic book and add them with a few concepts of my own. I also plan to add a new character that was inspired from another one of my stories. I hope you all like him! Until then, enjoy the saga of the Phoenix!  
  
Also, I've tried to make this so you can put in to the cartoon and not just this story. So you can think of this to maybe take place after the final episode 'Ascension.' I will try my best at this, so please try not to slam me if I mess it up.  
  
Before I begin, a message to my reviewers!  
  
Reddfire: Hey! Thanks for advertising another one of my fics! I really appreciate it! I know you're writing a story about the Phoenix, and the next 5 chapters of the story all concern the Phoenix. So I hope we both write good stories! Please tell me what you think of my version!  
  
Darkness1: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It was my first ever attempt at a Kurtty fic. I was kinda nervous because I had never done one before. I'm glad you liked it! I hope you like my Phoenix saga as well!  
  
Random Reader: Thanks for your review! And as for the Phoenix saga, I hope you like it! It's always a given that it's a real tearjerker, but I don't want to give away the total plot of my story just yet! I hope you like it!  
  
Rogue-wonder: I'm sorry to hear that you were grounded off the internet. I'm glad you're back! As for a Rogue chapter...I'm sorry to say that I really don't have any plans for a Rogue or Romy chapter in this story. It would just run way too long if I did. Sorry, I'm all for Romy, but I promise to save that for another fic.  
  
Enchantedlight: Thanks for the review! And yes, Remy will make an appearance in this fic, but I won't be able to put any Romy in to it. Sorry, I plan to save that for another fic in the future. I hope you enjoy the Phoenix saga.  
  
ASGT and Kat Maximoff: Thanks for reviewing! I'm sorry it took you so long to read this story. But I just don't think I could have made this fic any shorter. I'm flattered you think so highly of my writing! It really means a lot to me! And between dancing and updating...I choose updating!  
  
ScottJean4evah: If you like Jott, then I hope you'll LOVE these next 5 chapters!  
  
Japanese Dragon: Thanks for reviewing...Even if you are a bit hyper. I'm glad you liked that Lance part! I enjoyed writing that a lot! Thanks again!  
  
Aria28: I'm glad you've discovered my story and taken the time to review it. But sadly, I don't think I'll have the time to put any Romy in this story even though I really am a full supporter Rogue and Remy!  
  
Spectra2: I'm glad a Kurtty fan liked my last two chapters. That was my first Kurtty and I'm glad to see that I didn't screw it up!  
  
I know you're all eager to see the story so a quick thank you to SHAWN PROVONCHA, Queen of the Molliemon, DragonWriter2, Tori H, aimtbj, ret, NightcrawlersPryde, Agent-G, Sprocket, Commander-cane-7, and Sentoris. Sorry I can't respond to you all. But I know some of you are all probably eager to read the Phoenix saga of this story. So without further adieu...I give you the saga of the PHOENIX! Enjoy!

* * *

Jean flew through the sky, frantically trying to get away. She didn't know where she was or how she got there, but she still scrambled to avoid whatever entity was trying to get her. Pushing her powers to the limit, she tried to stop the sinister red flames from touching her. But they just kept coming...They were getting closer. Then, a terrible image formed before her very eyes as a dark entity forced it's way in to her body and mind.  
  
"No...NOOOOOO!!!"  
  
Suddenly, Jean woke up in a cold sweat struggling to breathe. She also realized she was floating in mid air over her bed. Upon feeling this, she fell back down on to her mattress as she struggled to get her mind together once again. The dream seemed to play over and over again in her mind and each time she felt the same terrible feelings of having everything about her being taken over by some powerful, unknown force. The memory alone had paralyzed her. She couldn't breathe...She couldn't even think straight anymore.  
  
Just then, Scott entered her room as if he had felt every second of the terrible dream.  
  
"Jean...Are you okay? Jean..." said Scott as he made his way over to her bed.  
  
Jean didn't respond; she was still too paralyzed by the mysterious visions that seemed to follow her no matter how much she tried to ignore them. Scott sat by her on the side of her bed as he felt her anxiety through their mind link. Upon feeling his presence near her, she collapsed in to his embrace. Tears formed in her eyes as she struggled to make all the dark images in her mind go away. Scott held her close as she cried out her fears. Then finally, Jean found the strength to speak.  
  
"It happened again..." she said in a weak voice.  
  
"The dream?"  
  
Jean slowly nodded as Scott started to gently stroke the side of her face. His touch helped calm her down enough to get control of her thoughts again. For nearly three weeks now mysterious dreams and visions had plagued Jean. At first they were thought to be minor power surges, but when she began to describe images and feelings they grew in to something more. It was now almost a common occurrence for her to wake up from awful nightmares. And every time they happened, Scott came to her room and lull her back to sleep as best he could. Tonight, however, had been the worst yet.  
  
"Want me to stay here tonight?" asked Scott as Jean's gaze shifted up towards his face.  
  
"Would you?" said Jean as she wiped the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Of course," assured Scott as he kissed her forehead and let her rest against his side. "I'll stay as long as you need me."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise..."

* * *

The next morning, Jean went to the Professor for help with her constant nightmares. This had been going on for too long and it was beginning to take a toll on her. What the visions really were remained a mystery. But every time they happened, they got stronger and more vivid.  
  
"Professor...I don't know how much longer I can handle these visions. They're just getting too strong. They make me feel so strange and...And weak...I just..."  
  
"Calm down Jean...You won't be doing yourself any favors by getting too hysterical about this," coaxed Xavier as he tried to calm his young student.  
  
"I can't help it!" said Jean desperately. "They won't stop! They just won't stop..."  
  
"It's okay Jean...You don't have to worry about them now. I can help you," said the Professor.  
  
Slowly, he put his hands on her temples and began to place temporary blocks around her mind. They never lasted long, but they gave Jean enough strength to block out the dreams. While he was doing this, Xavier saw some of the images that had been plaguing the young telepath. They were full of a mysterious fire that seemed almost...Alive in a sense. The feelings of her being overtaken and consumed by this fire were nearly too great for event the Professor to block out. But through it all, he was able to make out the image of a magnificent bird-like creature that took shape once it fully occupied Jean's body.  
  
Xavier soon finished putting up his blocks and Jean breathed a heavy sigh.  
  
"Thank you Professor...But how am I going to make the nightmares stop?" asked Jean still full of anxiety.  
  
"I don't know," replied the Professor honestly as he tried to make sense out of all this. "But I promise you, we will make them stop. You aren't alone with this problem Jean. Don't ever forget that."  
  
"I know and I thank you for that," said Jean as she let out a heavy sigh, "It's just that...Everything finally seemed to be going well for me. I have good grades, I'm starting to look at different colleges, and I have a wonderful boyfriend...Then this happens. It's like...Anytime things start to go well for me, something terrible comes along and makes my life more hell than it already has been."  
  
Jean felt so tired and helpless. She found it hard to sleep anymore and she found it even harder to think about. The dream had taken hold of her mind and it refused to let go.  
  
"Try not to see it like that Jean. You'll get through this," assured the Professor as Jean stood up and started to leave.  
  
"I hope so Professor...I really hope so."

* * *

Down in the kitchen, the rest of the group was having breakfast. Evan was getting himself a healthy load of sausages, Kurt was making some pop tarts for himself and Kitty, and Rogue was busy making herself some eggs. Ororo was also present, simply helping Rogue who wasn't the best cook to say the least. Logan was out on a bike ride and the Professor was busy in his office. But there were still two people unaccounted for.  
  
"Man, where are Scott and Jean?" said Evan as he went for the last few sausages, "They're gonna miss breakfast again."  
  
"And at the rate you're goin' there won't be anything left to eat," commented Rogue as she started cook some scrambled eggs.  
  
"Hey, they snooze they lose," said Evan as he bit in to the sausage.  
  
"Yeah, what's with them lately? Jean's been acting really strange for the past few weeks," said Kitty as she pulled her pop tarts out of the toaster.  
  
"Ja, she's been spacing out left and right. I vas beginning to think she was having another one of her seizures," commented Kurt as he sat down next to Kitty and started to munch on his pop tarts and toast.  
  
"You think something's wrong with her powers?" said Rogue as she tried to get the oven setting right.  
  
"I don't know...I haven't seen any shattered glass or broken furniture lately so it's hard to tell," said Kurt, slightly laughing at some of the memories from the experience.  
  
"I'm sure she's fine everybody," assured Ororo. "You must remember how hard it was for her to gain control of her powers in the first place."  
  
"That's for sure. Hell, there are probably still a few dents in the wall left from it," said Evan with a light laugh.  
  
Just then, Scott entered the kitchen. He looked more tired then usual, no doubt because of what was happening to Jean. This change in their behavior had been very sudden to them all. Just a month ago, both teens had never looked happier. They were going out on dates regularly, they kissed and held hands, amongst other things...But then something happened to Jean and they couldn't determine what it was. And from the looks of it...Neither could Scott.  
  
"Hey man, you hungry?" asked Evan ignoring the tired look on Scott's face.  
  
"Yeah...But it appears somebody already ate all the bacon," said Scott as he looked towards Kurt.  
  
"Hey don't blame me man! I couldn't help it! It was just so crispy and good and..."  
  
"Its okay Kurt...I'll just have some cereal," said Scott not wanting Kurt to go on with all that food in his mouth.  
  
As Scott got a bowl and began to pour himself some Lucky Charms, Rogue decided to ask him about Jean.  
  
"So Scott...What's the deal with Jean?" asked Rogue as she turned away from her eggs briefly.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Scott, who had hoped that nobody would talk about this.  
  
"Come on Scott, don't play dumb," said Kitty, "Don't think we haven't noticed it. She's been acting really strange lately. I mean...She just keeps spacing out, she keeps forgetting things, and well...It's just not like her."  
  
"Yeah, have her powers been acting up again or something?" asked Kurt.  
  
Scott just sighed. Even thought Jean was still upstairs, he could sense the mental turmoil she was feeling in her mind. He had sensed it since day one through their link. It was hard on the both of them...But it was by far the worst on Jean.  
  
"It's not her powers...At least I don't think so. It's this weird nightmare she's been having," said Scott as he tried to hide the concern in his voice.  
  
"Nightmare? Come on Scott we all have nightmares on a regular basis," said Rogue.  
  
"Not nightmares like this..." said Scott ominously.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Kitty curiously.  
  
"I don't know...I really don't know..."  
  
There was a brief silence after Scott's words. A nightmare was one thing, but Scott was making it sound like a completely different problem. It had to be something serious with the way it was making Jean act. Suddenly, a burning noise was heard coming from the stove.  
  
"Rogue...Watch the stove!" exclaimed Ororo as she saw Rogue's eggs starting to burn and singe.  
  
"Oh shit!" cursed Rogue as she spun around and took the pan off the burner and tried to salvage her blackened scrambled eggs.  
  
The others couldn't help but laugh at Rogue's futile attempt to save her tainted meal, but now it was just a smoking heap of egg matter.  
  
"I warned you to keep you're eyes on the stove," said Ororo with a slight grin as she helped Rogue scrape off the pan.  
  
"Yeah...Guess I found out the hard way," muttered Rogue in mild frustration as she got a few more eggs and tried again.  
  
However, this little mishap didn't even register in Scott's brain as he absentmindedly stirred his spoon in his cereal contemplating how he should help Jean. It pained him to see her like this. He had been doing all he could to be there for her and it did help her to some extent, but it didn't stop whatever was happening to her. There was definitely more to this than meets the eye and Scott knew it. He hope the Professor would find something soon or this nightmare that had taken control of Jean's mind promised only to get worse.

* * *

In the library of the institute, Professor Xavier had been feverishly going over scores of books, trying to look for answers to what was happening to Jean. He had nothing to go on other than some of the images he saw when he used his powers to put blocks on her. However, those blocks were becoming less and less effective. Ever since Jean had arrived at the institute he had been keeping tabs on her powers. Lately, they had been growing at an exponential rate. Xavier knew that her powers were getting harder to control because her rate of control wasn't keeping up with the growth her powers. It was clear that something was going to happen soon...And her powers would most likely be a part of it. He needed to find some answers soon if he was going to help Jean with this mysterious nightmare. Just then, Logan entered the room.  
  
"Still at it huh Chuck?" said Logan as he walked over to the desk the Professor had been reading at and dropped a dozen or so books in front of him. "I got ya the rest of those books ya needed."  
  
"Thank you Logan. I hope they will be of some help. I'm getting nowhere fast with this so far. I'm just finding more questions instead of answers."  
  
"Just what are ya lookin' for anyway?" asked Logan curiously.  
  
"I'm not quite sure just yet, but I will find it," sated the Professor in response.  
  
"Well, good luck to ya. I'm sure you'll find whatever you're looking for."  
  
"Yes...I hope so."  
  
After that, Logan left and the Professor went back to his reading. He sighed as he closed yet another book with more questions then answers. He had been trying to help Jean with whatever was plaguing her dreams. There was definitely more to them then simple power surges. From what Charles Xavier had sensed, something was trying to take over Jean. Feeling desperate for answers, he wheeled himself over to the phone and dialed the number of someone whom he hoped could bring him some answers. Strangely, somebody answered after the first ring.  
  
"Hello?" said a voice on the other side.  
  
"Irene, is that you?" said the Professor.  
  
"Ah yes, Charles Xavier. I was expecting your call," said the woman on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Then you must be having your visions again I assume."  
  
"Assumptions are always dangerous, but you would be right in this one. I have been having some rather disturbing dreams."  
  
"For how long?" asked Xavier.  
  
"Three weeks."  
  
Three weeks...The exact amount of time since Jean began having her nightmares. The Professor knew then that it had to be about whatever was plaguing his young student.  
  
"What exactly did you see?" asked the Professor with a bit of anxiety in his voice.  
  
"Something sinister Charles...Something so dark it could affect the lives of many...Especially your students," said Irene in an ominous tone.  
  
That was more than enough to worry Professor Xavier, but he pressed on.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
There was a brief silence over the phone. Destiny was definitely contemplating something, but it was more complex than even she could imagine. However, she already knew what was going to happen and she didn't fight it.  
  
"One of your student's Charles...Is about to become a force unlike no other. You already know whom I'm talking about so I won't bother to say her name. She is going to face an evil so great that it could shatter the world itself. This entity is a force almost as old as the universe. It's been waiting, looking, longing for a new host to bond with so it can unleash its wrath upon us all."  
  
Destiny's tone was too serious to ignore. Her predictions in the past had been all too right in the end and the Professor took this one seriously, for it concerned a student and it may also concern much more.  
  
"What exactly is this...Entity?" asked the Professor.  
  
"You've seen it Charles. It is the immortal bird of holy fires. It is...The Phoenix."  
  
The Professor tried to hide his anxiety upon hearing those words. This was a living god she was talking about...And it was trying to manifest itself in one of his students. He was about to respond, but Destiny had cut him off.  
  
"You'll know more soon enough Charles...We all will. My dreams foresee a very, very dark future. I can't be sure if any of us will survive it. But even if we do, I see some very tumultuous times ahead for both you and your students. Either way, a great shroud of darkness has overcome the future...And I don't see how it can be stopped."  
  
Destiny's predictions were never this dark before. They never spoke of events so grand that it could ultimately doom the future of the world. However, she had been flawless in her foreseeing of the future before...And there was no reason to believe that this one was any different. Charles Xavier was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say or do about this.  
  
"Thank you Irene," said the Professor with a sigh, "You've been a big help."  
  
"I don't know if I have or not Charles. To be honest, I wasn't supposed to tell you about this. However, this future is too dark and I for one don't wish to see it happen. But if there's one thing I've learned since you taught me how to use my powers, it's that we can never run from fate," said Destiny, who seemed disturbed, yet somewhat accepting of what she was saying.  
  
"So you say there is nothing that can be done to save my students...Or the future?"  
  
There was another brief silence over the phone as Destiny contemplated her response.  
  
"This wasn't a normal vision Charles. It was dark, that it was...However there was something...Strange about it."  
  
"What do you mean?" responded Xavier.  
  
"While I saw all these horrid images there was this...Emptiness. There was some strange zone of uncertainty that I had never sensed before. It was as if something...Or someone was trying to mess up the future and all that is meant to happen. I wish I knew more...But I don't. That is all I can say for now Charles...I hope I have been of some help to you."  
  
"You have Irene...And I thank you. Now...It appears I have some work to do."  
  
After that, Xavier hung up the phone and so did Destiny. She retired to her room where she knew she would see the same dreams again and again. The X-men were in for a long, difficult future that they did not have control over. It was sad in a sense...Because two very innocent, kindred souls would suffer because of it.  
  
Professor Xavier could only sit and wonder about what Destiny had just told him. It was far more than he wanted to know, but he couldn't forget about it. Now it seemed Jean's nightmares were the least of his worries and this new entity...The Phoenix was the big problem. Slowly, Xavier rolled himself back towards his desk where a large pile of books was still there. With a heavy sigh, he took one of the books and opened it to a certain section he remembered seeing before.  
  
He saw an old picture of the mysterious and majestic Phoenix. It was a symbol that permeated through many different cultures across the planet and yet it seemed that it was anything but a mere myth. The picture resembled Jean's dream all too well as the image of the immortal firebird held a mysterious spell on his mind.  
  
"Professor..." said a voice coming from the door.  
  
Xavier looked up to see a tired Jean Grey standing there before him holding a tray of food.  
  
"Ororo said you might be hungry," said Jean as she placed the tray off to his side.  
  
"Yes...Thank you Jean," said the Professor, but with a somewhat sorrowful tone.  
  
"Is something wrong?" asked Jean as she turned to leave towards Scott, who was standing at the door waiting for her.  
  
"No...Nothing's wrong my dear. Tell Ororo I said thanks," responded the Professor.  
  
Jean didn't ask anymore questions about the Professor's somewhat saddened tone. She just walked out and left with Scott.  
  
The Professor couldn't help but feel saddened upon seeing Jean as she walked off hand and hand with Scott. He just didn't have the heart to tell her what he now knew. She had suffered a terrible life as it was and now he was told that she was about to suffer even more and there was nothing that could be done about it. In addition, Xavier couldn't help but worry for Scott as well. He and Jean were so close and losing her would be too devastating for him to bear. The memories of what happened to Scott with Duncan, who was now serving 10 years in prison, still hung fresh in his mind. He had seen and sensed the turmoil it caused Jean and it could only get worse if Scott was faced with the same situation. They loved each other too much to even bear the thought of losing one another.  
  
Charles Xavier was truly at a loss. For the first time he couldn't do anything to help one of his students. He had grown very attached to them ever since he rescued them from the streets all those months ago. They respected him as if he were their real father and he looked at them as if they were his own children. He had always been able help them with whatever problems they faced, but now it seemed that this problem is beyond his help. He let out a deep sigh as he looked back at the picture in the book about the Phoenix and closed it. It seemed that there was no way to stop this from happening now as the Professor read on about this mysterious force. He was forced to simply watch and wait for whatever events that were about to unfold.

* * *

Out in the cold depths of space, a lone flare of mysterious red flame hung in a state of suspension. The brilliant red fire that was full of such unimaginable power simply floated in the dead of space. It pulsated with a mysterious glow, almost as if it were alive...As if it were a living, breathing force. Suddenly, a great spark from within awakened it from it's millions of years of slumber. The holy flame began to burn brighter than ever as it began to soar through the vast distances of space at unimaginable speeds towards one specific point...Earth.

* * *

Charles Xavier had been in his study for nearly five hours reading about the Phoenix. So far, he hadn't found out any more than Destiny had told him. He was beginning to feel the effects of fatigue when suddenly, Cerebro's alarm went off and a loud noise was sent throughout the mansion.  
  
"What's going on Chuck?" said Logan as he barged in the room at the sound of the alarm.  
  
"Cerebro has detected a very powerful mutant disturbance," said Charles as he wheeled himself over to one of the terminals in the wall that fed directly into Cerebro's room, which lay deep underground near the danger room.  
  
As soon as Xavier put the helmet on, he felt a strong psychic surge through his mind and started to keel over from the powerful readings.  
  
"Charles!" yelled Ororo, who had just entered the room as well. "What's wrong? What do you sense?"  
  
Xavier pulled the helmet off as quickly as he could. He had sensed something powerful...Something very powerful in fact. It was so strong that if he had kept Cerebro on any longer it could have knocked him out cold. But whatever it was, it was something that had to be investigated.  
  
"There is some extreme mutant activity up north. I'm not sure what it is but it's very powerful. Tell the others to suit up...We must find out who...Or what this is."  
  
There was not time for argue as the two older mutants left to round up the others while Xavier wheeled himself down to the basement where the X-jet was waiting. For some reason, he felt compelled to grab the Cerebro helmet just in case. He couldn't fight off a terrible sense of foreboding that something was about to happen that he had no control over. Destiny had told him that he was about to find out more about this Phoenix force soon enough. It wasn't a very comforting thought as he watched the rest of the team file in to the hanger. Scott and Jean were the last to arrive in uniform as they entered with the rest of the team.  
  
"Jean."  
  
"Yes Professor?" said Jean as Xavier called her off to the side.  
  
"I think it would be best if you sat this one out. With everything that's been happening to you, I don't know if an all out mission would be good for you," said the Professor in a concerned voice, hoping that she would heed his warning.  
  
"It's okay Professor, I feel much better now. Really, I'll be fine," said Jean.  
  
"Are you certain? I really don't want to see you getting hurt out there. We aren't quite sure what we're facing."  
  
"Really Professor, I'm okay. Besides, a mission might just be what I need to get my mind off my dreams anyway. Don't worry...I'm sure nothing too serious will happen," assured Jean as she turned back towards the jet.  
  
The Professor was about to stop her and try to get her to stay behind at all costs, but something inside told him that his efforts would be in vain. Jean still looked weary even though she tried to hide it from the others. It seemed that Scott was the only one who picked up on it as he gave her a concerned look as she boarded the plane.  
  
"You okay Jean?" asked Scott as she sat down in a seat behind the pilot's seat where Scott had made the final preparations for takeoff.  
  
"I'm fine Scott. Don't worry," assured Jean as everybody buckled up.  
  
Scott didn't respond after that, for he trusted Jean enough to believe what she said. But that didn't stop him from having a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach as the X-jet took off in to the cloudy sky.

* * *

As the jet took off in to the distance and sped to the north, a lone figure stood near the base of the hollowed out cliff. He was a tall, mysterious looking young man with medium-length blond hair and strange samurai-like armor all over his body. He had a long, shining sword in a brilliantly decorated case on his back and two mysterious symbols on the back of his hands that looked like Chinese or Tibetan writing. However, the most predominant feature on the young man was a mysterious mark or tattoo that covered his right eye. Whatever this mark was, it started to glow as the X- jet disappeared over the horizon. Then, the mysterious man grunted with a look of frustration.  
  
"I'm too late...Now nothing will stop the Phoenix from rising again," said the young man to himself as he clutched his fists, "Now all that's left to save us all from the wrath of Dark Phoenix...Is the legend."

* * *

AN: Well, I'll end it there on a mysterious note for now. By the way, the mystery man mentioned in the end is my own creation, please don't steal him! You'll find out more about him in the next few chapters. He will play a vital role in the coming events! In the mean time, stay tuned to see the first encounter with the legendary Phoenix and see how this will effect Scott, Jean, and the rest of the X-men. I haven't read all the comics or seen all the episodes of the old X-men show concerning the Phoenix, but I will do my best. Remember, this is AU so it may be a little different (or a lot if I screw up). Don't forget to REVIEW! Send them to me at slickboy444aol.com and post them at fanfiction.net. Well, stay tuned to see how this whole Phoenix saga turns out! Until next time, best wishes to you all!  
  
REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! I'M HUNGRY FOR REVIEWS!!! 


	29. Enter the Darkness

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 28: Enter The Darkness**

* * *

AN: This chapter concerns the whole Phoenix aspect of Jean that the cartoon never addressed. I have chosen Dark Phoenix to be the big villain in this series, not Apocalypse (don't expect Apocalypse to be in this series). I have tried to take some aspects from the comic book and add them with a few concepts of my own. I have also added a new character that was inspired from another one of my stories. I hope you like him! Until then, enjoy the saga of the Phoenix!  
  
Also, I've tried to make this so you can put in to the cartoon and not just this story. So you can think of this to maybe take place after the final episode 'Ascension.' I will try my best at this, so please try not to slam me if I mess it up.  
  
And before I begin, a message to my reviewers!  
  
Enchantedlight: Sorry about the cliffhanger, but here's the continuation! I hope you like it!  
  
ASGT: I love the Phoenix saga just as well. But I haven't copied it word for word in this story, so it is different. Please forgive me if I screw up.  
  
Quill of Molliemon: Don't shiver just yet! There are still 3 chapters left!  
  
Commander-cane-7: Don't worry! I will finish this! I'm glad you like it thus far.  
  
Tori H: Sorry I didn't have the space to properly thank you last time, but thankfully this chapter didn't run as long as the last one. As for the legend...Well you'll just have to read and find out! And thanks for the web site! I'm sure it will help me along the way.  
  
Optic Red: All right! I finally get to hear from one of my favorite authors! And as for the legend, you'll just have to wait and see! There is still a lot to tell and I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Rogue-wonder: Thanks for your kind words! And this idea took a while to develop, so thank you for liking this. It really means a lot to me.  
  
Sentoris: Well the wait is over my friend! And fear not, for there shall be some major Jott to come with this story so I hope you will be pleased!  
  
Darkness1: I'm honored that you put me on your author alert! And don't worry, I always try and update at least once a week come hell or high water. I hope you like where this story goes!  
  
ScottJean4evah: Sorry for the wait, but here it is! I know it's torture at times, but I promise I will finish it as soon as I can so you don't have to wait too long. Just remember that some of this stuff is kinda hard to get down sometimes. But never the less, I will finish it!  
  
Krac: I'm grateful that you read this story even though you're not a Jott fan! It's good to see that my fic has broader appeal. And I share your views about the characters being too bland in the TV show. That was one of the main motivations for me to write this fic in the first place. As for this mysterious man, you won't find out much about him in this chapter, but you will in the next one!  
  
Japanese Dragon: I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but here's the continuation! I try to update fast, but it's hard when I have to balance school, work, and home. But don't worry, I will update at least once a week so you don't have to wait too long.  
  
Reddfire: I know the cliffhangers are hard, but don't worry because I will update again! Sometimes it's the only way to keep a reader interested. By the way, I really liked "Dreams of the Phoenix!"  
  
Hakusho009: Thanks for all your praise! I'm glad to see you like my story, even though it is getting to be quite long. Thanks again and I hope you keep reading!  
  
KSimonT-X: Thanks a lot for liking my story! I'm glad you're so interested from my story. As for the samurai warrior, you'll learn about him more next chapter!  
  
Aimtbj: I'm glad you think my story is so good! And don't worry, I updated as soon as I could, but it is hard sometimes. I hope you like it!  
  
IcyLeo: Thanks for reading my story for so long now! And it's good to see that there are other avid comic lovers out there! As for the new recruits, I'm still debated whether or not to use them so we'll just have to wait and see. Until then, I hope you like what I have in store!  
  
Wen: As always, you rock my friend! Thanks for the comments and I hope you like what I have in store!  
  
Wow that was long, but every reviewer counts! Thanks everybody! Enjoy!

* * *

"You sure this is where the reading was Chuck? It's in the middle of nowhere," said Logan as the X-jet sped through the empty Northern Canadian tundra.  
  
"Cerebro has never been wrong before Logan. I'm sure this is the area...But I'm not sure what exactly caused it," responded the Professor as he and the others looked below at the barren wasteland that dominated the landscape.  
  
"You think it could be Magneto again?" ventured Ororo as the jet began to slow down.  
  
"I don't think so...Otherwise I would have detected some magnetic interference. Eric is always one to let people know who they're dealing with before encountering them...So I don't think it's him," said Xavier logically.  
  
"Then who...Or what could it be?" asked Ororo as the jet touched down.  
  
"I don't know..." responded the Professor.  
  
In a way, that was a lie because something told him that he was about to encounter what Destiny had described. Even though he hadn't sensed it directly with Cerebro, his instinct told him all he needed to know. And from the looks of it, Xavier wasn't the only one with ominous feelings.  
  
For some reason, Jean was feeling a strange sensation throughout her mind. It made her feel a strong pressure in her head that felt almost as bad as her dreams. It was not like all those times before when she had power surges...No, this was something very different. Suddenly, she felt the dream all over again. The flying...The flames...The feeling as if she was being ripped apart from within. She rubbed the temples of her head as she started to feel short of breath. Then...Scott placed a hand on her shoulder and it all stopped.  
  
"Jean...Are you okay? Maybe you should sit this one out," said Scott, who noticed her disposition and gave her a concerned look.  
  
"No...No I'm fine, really," said Jean, who sounded like she was trying to reassure herself just as much as she was trying to reassure Scott.  
  
"Are you sure Jean? You're starting to make me worry," said Scott, hoping that she would listen to reason.  
  
"I'm sure. I just...Need to focus, that's all," said Jean as she followed everyone out of the jet.  
  
However, her words did little to ease Scott's fears. He still had a terrible feeling that something bad was going to happen. He tried to ignore it and write it off as simple paranoia, but he just couldn't...Not when it involved Jean. He just couldn't fight the feeling that something terrible was going to happen to her and there would be nothing he could do about it. The thought of anything bad Jean was something Scott had vowed to not let happen. But still...he just couldn't fight this strange feeling that was haunting his mind.  
  
As the group stepped out in to the cold arctic air, they were greeted with a vast wasteland of nothingness. The thick clouds overhead all but blotted out the sun and the winds howled unabated across the land.  
  
"What are we supposed to be lookin' for out here?" asked Rogue as she tried to stay warm from the cold winds.  
  
"Beats me. I didn't know anything could even live out here," said Evan as the frozen tundra around him seemed totally devoid of life.  
  
Then, a loud thundering noise was heard in the clouds above. But it was no ordinary thunder...It was almost like a loud roar. Jean once again felt the effects of the nightmare show again as she clenched the sides of her head in pain.  
  
"What the..." said Logan as the shock from strange thunder took hold of the group.  
  
Jean then fell to her knees in pain as she let out a loud yell of agony. Scott and Ororo immediately went to her side to help her up.  
  
"Jean! Jean what's happening?! What's wrong?!" said Scott as he grew more concerned for her.  
  
Then, she began speaking in a strange voice that didn't sound anything like her.  
  
"SUCH POWER...SUCH POTENTIAL. CREATOR...AND DESTROYER OF WORLDS...I SHALL RISE AND UNLEASH MY WRATH ONCE MORE!"  
  
"What's going on Professor? What is she talking about?" asked Kitty as she looked at her friend who seemed possessed by some strange force.  
  
"It's coming...We have to get out of here now!" yelled the Professor even though he knew that may be a futile action.  
  
Just then, Scott and Ororo saw something coming through the clouds above them. It was a strange dark-red flame that seemed to pulsate with a living presence. It took up a good portion of the sky as it started to head towards their position.  
  
"Professor...What the hell is that!?" yelled Scott as he saw the mysterious flame come closer and closer towards them.  
  
The Professor turned around to see the nearly blinding flames get closer towards them. Jean, who had been paralyzed for nearly a minute now, finally snapped out of it as she saw the flames head towards her. A sudden rush of fear overcame her, for these flames looked too familiar for comfort. She knew she had seen them before...In her dreams. Now it appeared that they were anything but a dream as she immediately took to the air and tried to get away.  
  
"No...This can't be happening...This is all a bad dream!" said Jean to herself as she desperately tried to get away.  
  
"Jean!" yelled Scott from the ground below as he saw her fly off.  
  
The flames began to get closer and closer as Jean kept trying to fly away from them. She used her telekinesis in an attempt to deflect it away from her, but it only slowed the mysterious force...It didn't stop it. Then, Jean began to hear a voice in her head that seemed to be coming from the strange red flames.  
  
"Come child of the Phoenix...Accept your destiny. You are the force of creation...And the bringer of destruction. Become the Phoenix...BECOME TRUE POWER!"  
  
"NO!" yelled Jean as she began to strain herself and her powers by pushing the flames away from her, but they just kept coming.  
  
The great flame soon surrounded her from all sides as she tried in vain to send the force away. The space between her and this sinister force got smaller and smaller as Jean kept trying to force it away. It was just like it was in her dream...Only this was no dream. Jean prayed that any moment she would wake up in her bed with Scott and this would all be over. But she would not awaken from this...For it was reality.  
  
"No..." said Jean desperately as her powers had reached their limits, yet the fires of the Phoenix were nearly upon her. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
Jean let out an agonizing scream that permanently burned itself in to Scott's mind as he watched in horror along with the rest of his friends. When the flames consumed her...Scott felt an intense surge of pain through the mind link he shared with Jean that was unlike anything he had ever felt. The scene was truly a nightmare as the flames engulfed and took over ever aspect of Jean Grey. Then, in a strange whirlwind of flames...The final shape of this divine entity took it's final form. With a loud roar, the fiery red embers of the Phoenix finally became the great holy bird of fire. The Phoenix then spread its wings in a mighty gesture, hinting the awakening from a long period of dormancy.  
  
"At last...After so many eons of sleep...I LIVE!" yelled the Phoenix as its flames took up nearly the entire sky.  
  
"Mien Gott..." said Kurt as others let out shocking gasps from what they had just witnessed.  
  
"No...It's happened..." said the Professor as he watched the scene unfold alongside his flabbergasted students.  
  
Through the use of his powers, the Professor desperately tried to find Jean within the fires of the Phoenix and help her suppress it. However, the holy bird was quick to notice this as it looked down upon the group of young mutants below.  
  
"Insolent mortals," said the great bird casually as it unleashed a telekinetic shock wave that knocked the entire group down.  
  
"JEAN!" yelled Scott as he rose quickly to his feet as if the blast that had been sent his way barely registered. "YOU'VE GOT TO FIGHT IT! TAKE CONTROL!"  
  
"There is no more of this Jean...THERE IS ONLY I, DARK PHOENIX!"  
  
"No..." said Scott as he frantically searched through the mind link he shared with Jean for her presence, but to no avail. It was as if she no longer existed...And a part of him was gone.  
  
Before Scott could say anything else, he was forcefully knocked back by another blast from the Phoenix. This time he was almost knocked out cold. As the others rose to their feet, the flames of the Phoenix began to glow stronger with each passing second. They prepared for battle, but were still weary because this...Thing still had a part of their friend within it.  
  
Their willingness to fight merely amused the Phoenix as it scoffed at their thoughts of futility.  
  
"You dare to defy a deity?!"  
  
"I don't care who you are bub!" bellowed Wolverine, "We won't let you hitch a ride in Jeannie's body without goin' through us!"  
  
Ororo then, attempted to use her weather powers against the immortal fires of the Phoenix. Evan also began to launch spikes in to the flames. And even though he was tired, Professor Xavier attempted to use his psychic blasts to weaken the holy bird.  
  
"Chuck...Can you reach her?" asked Wolverine through the maelstrom.  
  
"I'm...Trying...But..."  
  
The attack didn't even scratch the great Phoenix. Even the psychic powers of the Professor were unable to break through the intense holy fires surrounding it.  
  
"Pathetic mortals...I grow weary of this..." said the Phoenix.  
  
Then another, far more powerful, blast ripped through the air. It knocked Ororo to the ground as she and the rest of the team yelled out from the force of the blast. The Phoenix made it look effortless as it knocked the entire team down for the count. Then, the immortal bird began to descend closer to the ground towards the downed X-men. As it got closer, only Scott was still conscious as he regained part of his strength. However, Jean was nowhere to be found. Then...He felt something in the depths of his head. It was a voice...Jean's voice.  
  
'Scott...Help...' but that's all the voice said, then Scott felt nothing more through the link.  
  
'Jean...I don't know if you can hear me...But hang on. You can fight it...And we can help you...Just hang on...Please! I can't lose you...' said Scott weakly through his mind, but there was no response.  
  
Just then, the fires of the Phoenix were close at hand as it stared down at the defeated mutants before it.  
  
"What a waste...But no matter, for I shall put you all out of your misery with a mere thought..." said the Phoenix as it prepared to deliver the final blow.  
  
Just then, a mysterious fog engulfed the X-men...But it wasn't from the Phoenix.  
  
"What trickery is this!?" demanded the holy bird.  
  
Then, a lone figure appeared in front of the X-men with a shining sword drawn and a strange glowing aura around him. He seemed to be the one controlling the mystical fog that had spread over the vast expanse around them.  
  
"Another mortal? Someone who thinks they can defeat the likes of me?" scoffed the Phoenix as it didn't feel threatened by this new presence.  
  
"It is not I that will defeat you..." responded the mysterious warrior as the fog around him engulfed the rest of the X-men and the X-jet as well. "It is the power of the ancient legend that will do you in."  
  
Before the powerful deity could respond the warrior and the X-men disappeared in to the fog...Leaving the Phoenix alone, but undaunted.  
  
"No matter...They shall all be cosmic dust soon enough. NOW...IT IS TIME TO REAFFIRM MY POWER AND UNLEASH THE FULL FORCE OF THE PHOENIX THROUGHOUT THE COSMOS!" bellowed the Phoenix as its flames soared in to the sky.

* * *

With soar muscles and an exhausted mind, the X-men began to arise from their collective unconscious states. Scott was the first to awaken as he saw where he and the rest of his friends were. They were all back at the mansion...Safe and sound. It was sunny and warm, but all was not right. Jean wasn't there...She was still gone. It hadn't been a dream like Scott had hoped. The emptiness in his mind was the dark confirmation of that. Then, the others started to come to.  
  
"We...We're back home..." said Kitty as she rubbed her throbbing head.  
  
"But how?" said Ororo as she went around and helped the others up from their unconscious state.  
  
The Professor was the last to awaken, for he was still fatigued from using so much psychic power against the Phoenix. When he finally did come to, he was relieved that most of his students were okay, but Jean's absence was only a grim confirmation of what had happened. Xavier couldn't help but blame himself for this, for he could have at least convinced her to stay behind or let her know what they were up against...But it was too late now. As Jean's absence began to permeate through the crowd, all turned to the Professor for answers.  
  
"Chuck...Back there, was that what I thought it was?" said Logan, who almost didn't believe what his eyes saw back in the arctic tundra.  
  
"What do ya mean? Just what the hell was that thing anyway?" said Rogue who was rubbing her head from the fight.  
  
More questions bombarded Xavier, but he was still at a loss for words over what happened to Jean. And from the looks of it, so was Scott.  
  
'Charles...They have a right to know,' said Ororo with her mind through the array of questions.  
  
Charles Xavier could only sigh in defeat, for his students had to know.  
  
"My students...I'm sorry that you had to see this, but from what I know and what I've learned, that thing back there was no mutant...It was the Phoenix."  
  
"But...That's impossible," said Kurt in disbelief, "Isn't that just a myth?"  
  
"I wish it were Kurt," said the Professor as he continued, "As you all my know Jean hasn't been sleeping very well lately, and there's good reason for that. She has been plagued with nightmares about the very events that have just transpired and in those dreams, the Phoenix is always present and the outcome always the same. If any of you know your mythology, you know that the Phoenix is an ancient immortal God whose body is reborn every time from it's own ashes. This...Phoenix has been in cultures all over the world since the beginning of recorded history."  
  
"So let me get this straight," said Evan, who couldn't believe what he was hearing, "We just went up against an actual GOD!?"  
  
"And what about Jean?" said Scott, who still felt the emptiness inside his head without Jean. "Is she still alive?"  
  
Professor Xavier did not have the answers his students deserved. He wished that he could tell them everything, but that was impossible for he just didn't know.  
  
"I...Wish I could tell you all that you deserve to know, but I can't. From what I do know, it is clear that this is something that couldn't have been avoided. Jean's ever-increasing powers were the mediums the Phoenix must have needed. Now her body and mind are nothing more than a host for the Phoenix. It's a part of her now."  
  
"But is there any way to save her?" asked Scott, still trying to cling on to whatever hope he could.  
  
The Professor let out a deep sigh, for he had not discovered a way to stop this and now it looked as if he wasn't going to have the time to do so.  
  
"I don't know Scott...Right now our only hope is to get through to whatever is left of Jean and help her suppress this monster herself. My powers were too weak last time, but with the help of Cerebro, maybe I can reach her...If she's still alive," said the Professor.  
  
It wasn't much, but it was all the X-men had to go on now.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go mind to mind with a living deity Charles?" reasoned Beast as his scientific mind immediately saw the dangers associated with such a plan. "Cerebro puts a great deal of strain on you as it is...Do you really want to push it any harder against something that has already showed us how strong it is?"  
  
"It's the only way Hank. Right now...This is our best plan and we must see it through if we are to stop the Phoenix and save Jean."  
  
As most of the X-men nodded in agreement, a new presence came over them. They couldn't see, hear, smell, or sense it. But it was there and it had something to say.  
  
"If you think that is the best plan of action Professor Xavier...Then I'm afraid you are just deluding yourself and your students."  
  
"Who's there!?" growled Logan as he unsheathed his claws and sniffed the air for the source of the new voice.  
  
The rest of the X-men looked around them feverishly; wondering where this deep toned voice was coming from. But as it was, they could find nothing. It was as if the voice had just come out of thin air. The Professor began to psychically scan the area, but found nothing.  
  
"Don't bother trying to look for me," said the voice, "You couldn't find me even if I was right in front of you."  
  
Logan let out a frustrated grunt as he kept trying to find wherever this voice was coming from.  
  
"Who are you, and why are you here?" demanded the Professor, who was still unable to find anything psychically in the surrounding area.  
  
"I'm here to stop you and your 'X-men' from making a most fatal mistake..." said the voice.  
  
"Mistake...What mistake?" said Ororo in to the air, still not knowing where this voice was coming from.  
  
"A mistake that could end up costing BILLIONS of innocent lives if it happens. I'm trying to prevent you all from going on a course of action that will do more than just completely and utterly destroy the X-men and all that they stand for. I am trying to stop a terrible future from happening that could lead to the destruction of not just this world...But many other worlds as well."  
  
There was a strong sense of urgency in this strange voice. Whoever it belonged to, it was clear that he wasn't joking around.  
  
"What are you talking about bub! Show your self!" demanded Logan, who was growing more and more frustrated by his inability to smell this strange presence.  
  
Then, a mysterious cloud of fog formed a strange whirlwind in front of them. It was the same strange fog that had gotten them home. They didn't know how or by whom, but something told the X-men that they were about to find out.

* * *

AN: Want to know the answers to who this stranger really is? Stay tuned and find out for yourself! Also, the dark future I mentioned above refers to the terrible outcomes in the comics concerning the Phoenix such as Jean Grey's death and resurrection, the constant fracturing of the X-men, and the most recent disasters concerning her and the terrible future that now face the remainder of the team. As for my character, you'll learn more about him in the next chapter. Remember, this is an AU so don't go nuts about it! If you have any comments, PLEASE send them to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Until next time best wishes to you all!  
  
REVIEW...PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	30. The Keeper and the Savior

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 29: The Keeper and the Savior**

* * *

AN: This chapter concerns the whole Phoenix aspect of Jean that the cartoon never addressed. I have chosen Dark Phoenix to be the big villain in this series, not Apocalypse (don't expect Apocalypse to be in this series). I have tried to take some aspects from the comic book and add them with a few concepts of my own. I have also added a new character that was inspired from another one of my stories. I hope you like him! Until then, enjoy the saga of the Phoenix! 

Also, I've tried to make this so you can put in to the cartoon and not just this story. So you can think of this to maybe take place after the final episode 'Ascension.' I will try my best at this, so please try not to slam me if I mess it up.

To my reviewers!

Commander-cane-7: I'm glad you're so hooked with this story and I'm sorry that it took a while to get this chapter up, but it ran kind of long. I hope you like it!

Sentrois: Don't worry, you'll learn who this 'stranger' is in this chapter! I love the Phoenix saga as well and I hope you like my take on it!

Oceanbang: Thanks for your comments! It's been hard trying to fuse the comic events with what I really want to do, but so far I'm glad with how it has turned out. I'm glad you my character so far, and you'll learn much more about him in this chapter!

Japanese Dragon: Thanks for being such a loyal reviewer thus far. And I apologize for being a bit slow on my updates lately, but some of these chapters are quite hard to write.

Quill of Molliemon: Don't worry, this chapter sheds more light on the mysterious character. I'm glad you like this story so far, I hope you like where I'm taking it!

Reddfire: Thanks for reviewing despite being so busy! I know how hard it can get to keep up. So I feel your pain my friend.

IcyLeo: Sorry, but this OC isn't from the comics. I created him myself in my own mixed up mind I wanted to take some characters from the comics...But I just couldn't find the right one, so I made one. I hope you like him!

Enchantedlight: Yeah, Jean's in a lot of trouble...More than you think! I tried to clarify it in this chapter, so hopefully it will become clearer for you and anybody else that reads it!

Phoenix-23: I'm glad you like the Phoenix, she's always been one of my favorite characters! This story is my take on the saga, please forgive me if I screw up.

Agent-G: My OC and the legend are all explained in this chapter! I hope you like it! Thanks for being such a loyal reviewer thus far!

Darkness1: I know the story of the Phoenix from the comics. And I know how it turns out and the problems it causes in the long run. As for the ending to this particular version of mine...Well you'll just have to read and find out! I hope it lives up to the original Please tell me what you think!

Random Reader: I know, I'm pretty disappointed they cancelled the show too. That and the comics haven't been very good lately (with the exception of Ultimate X-men). I hope you like my universe and I know it can never fully fill the void left by Evo...But I sure as hell will try my best!

Star-of-Chaos: Yeah, that transformation part was pretty hard to write. I had to watch my tape of Ascension 2 at least a dozen times to get it right. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter!

Aimtbj: I'm glad you like it! This is the part of my story that I have been giving the most thought to, so it's important that I get it right. I hope you like it and the OC that I use in it. I know OC are never very popular, but I couldn't find any other way to write this story the way I wanted to, so I guess this will have to do.

Wen: Don't worry my friend, you'll find some of the answers you seek in this chapter I hope you like it and thanks again for the comments

Well, that's it for now! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

As the fog cleared before the bewildered X-men, a lone figure took shape. It was a young man who looked like he was in his early twenties. He was a bit taller than Scott, he had medium-length blond hair, and bore a muscular frame. He wore a strange array of dark blue samurai-like armor that was riddled with mysterious symbols of mysticism and had strange marks on the backs of each hand that looked Chinese. However, the most dominating feature on this mysterious man was a strange looking tattoo over his left eye. This strange mark seemed to glow in a mysterious aura, hinting that there was more to it than meets the eye. This man also had a large, ominous sword in a case on his back that had equally strange marks on it as his armor. Overall, he had a commanding, yet somewhat non-threatening presence. "It is good to finally meet you all...Even under such grave circumstances," said the man as he approached the X-men.

"It was you..." said Kitty, "You're the one who bought us back here."

"Indeed I did," he responded, "I felt it was best if I stepped in to prevent things from getting messier than they already are."

"Wait...Just who are you?" asked the Professor as the strange man who had saved their lives stood before them.

The strange man just looked back, still portraying a strangely sincere manner. Normally he wouldn't be this forthcoming, but knowing what he knew he had to make an exception...Especially to these young souls who deserved to know the truth.

"Call me...Slayer," said the mysterious man, "I am a mutant like the rest of you...But I am also a warrior and master of the mystic arts. My mutation allows me to tap and focus energy from both the physical and metaphysical realms. I am a warrior, but I'm what you may call a vigilante. I fight crime, evil, call it what you will. I do it in the shadows and I never let anybody see or know me. I fight for the side of light and purity with the skills that I have been blessed with. However, at this time there is a force upon us so powerful that even I may not be able to stop it."

"The Phoenix..." said Scott as he quickly became intrigued by this mysterious man who had saved them earlier.

"Yes...The Phoenix. A living, breathing god of unimaginable power. I came as soon as I learned of its arrival. However, I was too late to do anything to prevent it from taking over your friend...But as it is, I can only help you all from making a grave mistake that may further worsen this situation," explained Slayer as bore his case before the X-men.

"What is this mistake that you keep telling us about? And how can you know this?" asked Ororo as she asked the questions that all were still yearning to know.

"You believe that the only way to stop the Phoenix is by using psychic powers to help the host, Jean Grey, suppress it on her own do you not?" asked the mutant warrior as he looked towards the Professor, whom had come up with that plan in the first place.

The Professor stood amazed that this total stranger had known this. He was equally amazed that he had never sensed such a mutant before. He couldn't even sense him now even though he was standing right before him.

"Yes, but...What other way could possibly exist for defeating such a powerful force?" said the Professor to this mysterious man.

"You are an intelligent man Professor Charles Xavier...But you have your flaws just like the rest of us. You delude yourself when nothing is as it seems. But looks can be very deceiving. You shouldn't blame yourself for this Professor...There is no way you could ever have known what I have discovered. You lack the tools and power to know things so fantastic that any other mind would simply refuse accept it."

"Wait...Just what exactly to you have that we don't?" asked Beast eager to know more.

"Do you know your ancient Egyptian mythology Mr. Hank McCoy? If you do then you already know the tool that I posses. I have the ultimate power of knowledge within me. I have this..." said Slayer as he pointed to the strange tattoo on his eye.

When Hank took a closer look, he saw what this mysterious stranger meant by those words. He did know a thing or two about ancient Egypt and this symbol was something that even a novice wouldn't have missed.

"That symbol...The all-seeing eye..."

Slayer smiled at the blue mutant's perception.

"Yes...The eye of the Sphinx. Every culture has it in some form or another¼An eye that sees everything no matter what."

"But isn't that just a..." started Evan, but he soon cut off.

"Myth? Well, you thought the Phoenix was also a myth...But now you know it is as real as the ground you stand upon. It's true...I possess the power to channel this powerful source of knowledge and strength. With it, I can see things no normal being will ever be able to see. I can know things others could never know. This eye sees everything...Past and present. And even in a way...It can see the future."

"So that's how you knew about us," said Scott as things began to make sense.

But the more Scott knew, the more anxious he became. He couldn't fight this feeling inside that was telling him that this man knew something more about the Phoenix...And about Jean.

"Indeed, I saw the signs as they happened. I saw events unfold that led to this horrible occurrence. And I saw the course of action that you all were planning to take...And I can NOT let that happen," stated Slayer with determination.

"Wait...Just what is it about our plan that you find so dire that you must stop it? Does it have something to do with the future? Are you a precognizant mutant or something?" asked Ororo as she grew more intrigued by what this man had to say.

Upon hearing the word 'precognizant,' the mutant warrior scoffed with a light-hearted smile.

"Precognizant? You think I can see deep in to the future? I can't in that respect...But I can in another way. You see, the future only consists of three things...That's it. Three simple little forces that govern how the future is going to turn out. One is time, the ever-present force that binds us all no matter how we see it. The other is cause, for everything has a beginning. And the last is effect...The force that always complements a cause. Most people who believe in fate, like some of you may already believe, are simply people who are unable to accept that you could not stop the cause or prevent the effect. People who think that something is their destiny are just people who make a choice that they feel cannot be avoided. Those who say they can see the future...Simply have a certain gift, much like the rest of you. That gift...Is simply the ability to see..."

"See?" said Logan skeptically as he didn't seem to get what this guy was saying. "What do ya mean see?"

"I mean...The ability to see through all the clutter and deception that we force upon ourselves to actually see the causes that lead to the effects. Most people don't see them. Others simply don't look hard enough. Me...I have the eyes of the Sphinx. I can see causes that would otherwise go unnoticed by even the most astute observer. Just like I see the causes that have already happened...And the effects that I am desperately trying to stop."

"Vhat effects are you talking about?" said Kurt as he and the others started to comprehend this strange man's philosophical words.

Slayer took a deep breath, for he knew this would be hard to tell these fragile young minds. He only hoped that they would believe his sincerity, for he had much worse that was to be told.

"I'm talking about the terrible future that will come to pass if you try to contain something that cannot and will not be contained. You will try and try again to stop the Phoenix from becoming what it is trying to be...But in the end it will only bring great suffering to your team and especially to the girl the Phoenix now possesses."

"Jean..." said Scott as he felt he couldn't ignore what Slayer was saying.

"Yes...It will completely and utterly destroy her and everything you all will work so hard to gain. I know this...Because I know the Phoenix more than you could ever imagine. You see it as a force...But I know it is much more than that. The causes of such a terrible future have already happened and I seek to stop the effects. Most people would think that is an impossibility because this event is carved in the stone of destiny. But there is just one problem with that...I don't believe in destiny or fate. And because I don't believe in it...I am not a part of it."

Then, something dawned on the Professor. It was something Destiny had told him earlier and only now it made sense.

"You don't believe in fate...Then it was you...You're that uncertainty that Destiny told me about," said the Professor.

Slayer smiled back at Xavier, who seemed glad that the Professor was finally starting to get it.

"Yes. You see...I am that part of destiny that tries to shine light on its true nature and expose it for what it is. I know what you all are planning to do with the Phoenix because it is just a part of the whole cycle of cause and effect. I wish to stop this from happening. And hopefully, rewrite the future. Even if you do go forth with your plan and it succeeds, it will come at a price. And as time goes on and you end up fighting this force again and again, that price will just keep getting higher and higher until eventually, you will not be able to go through with it. That is why I will help you all in stopping this horrid force."

"Help us...How? What exactly do you know that we don't?" said Hank, eager to learn what this strange man knew.

"I know the Phoenix...I know what it wants and what it plans to do with the host," said the mutant warrior in a somewhat dark tone.

"What do you mean? What exactly is this thing and what does it want with Jean?" said Scott sternly; hoping that there was someway to save the woman he loved.

Slayer took a deep breath as he prepared to tell the X-men the whole story of the great holy Phoenix.

"The Phoenix as we call it...Is a force almost as old as the universe itself. It was created in the fires of the early universe and emerged as a pure, holy creature of our realm. It was a being of purity and creation. It bore no malevolent tendencies and it is responsible for the creation of some of the first worlds to form life. When this life became intelligent through the power of evolution, some of it began to worship the Phoenix as a God. And thus, the first religion of the universe was born. For the first billion years of life...All was peaceful, the Phoenix didn't hurt or harm anybody and the early forms of life in the universe were generally peaceful in their views towards it."

"But something happened didn't it?" said Scott who had a pretty good idea where this story was going.

Slayer nodded with a solemn look as he continued his fantastic story.

"Yes...It all came to an end on the black day when a sinister cult in a world far from Earth forever disrupted the Phoenix. Nobody knows who these beings were, but from what I do know I can safely say they were very, very evil. They saw the Phoenix as a source of power that they could use to rule over not just their world, but many other worlds as well. This race of hateful beings sacrificed millions of innocent souls to cast a horrible spell that would have far reaching effects to this very day. Using tremendous amounts of dark magic...The Phoenix was lured to the home planet of these people...And a powerful spell was cast upon it. That spell...Captured the Phoenix and imprisoned it within the body of the leader of this heinous cult. From that day forward, the once benevolent Phoenix was instilled with a great force of darkness that turned it in to the most evil entity in the universe. With the power of the Phoenix worlds were shattered, stars were destroyed and recreated, and a great period of destruction followed. When the first host died, the spell on the Phoenix remained and it was forever doomed to go from host to host, repeating the same pattern of destruction and creation. And since the Phoenix itself it naturally immortal...Nothing could stop it. Since that fateful day, the Phoenix has been through countless hosts...And now Jean Grey is next..."

The X-men listened to this amazing story with a mixture of shock and awe. An ancient God from the very depths of the universe was here on this small planet and was amassing a great wealth of power. However, it was doing this through the manipulation of one of their friends. Scott was by far taking this revelation the hardest because it involved the one person he cared for the most. And now saving Jean was all he could think about. He refused to lose her...He could not let that happen no matter what the cost.

"Slayer, if what you say is true...Then, is there any way to save Jean and stop the Phoenix?" asked Scott eagerly.

Slayer had hoped this wouldn't come. He hoped he would have to reveal what he was about to say. But he knew it was the only way. With an exasperated sigh, he started to tell these young souls the hardest thing that they would have to know.

"There is...Only one way to stop the Phoenix; one way to destroy the great evil from within, save Jean Grey, and stop the slaughter of BILLIONS of innocent souls throughout the cosmos."

"What is it!" said Scott eagerly.

The mutant warrior looked back at the young, anxious boy who was so intent on saving the girl the Phoenix has possessed. He didn't want to tell him what had to be done...But there was no other way.

"The legend...Of the keeper and the savior. You see, when that heinous spell was cast upon the Phoenix all those eons ago...A tale arose from the survivors that spoke of a legend that would someday end the reign of this terrible darkness. They spoke of two enchanted beings, whose souls would be pure enough to stop the Phoenix and finally break the spell. These powerful beings of light came to be known as the keeper and the savior. While this legend has been lost through the countless years of time...The power of the all-seeing eye that lies within me has found it and I know the two beings that can save this and many other worlds from total destruction. The keeper...Is a blessed soul who has a great power from birth that few have, yet has an inherent sense of purity that will help subdue the great beast...But not stop it. That being, the keeper, is Jean Grey."

That came to nobody's surprise, but Slayer had told only half the legend. He seemed to be stalling on the other half.

"What about the savior? Who is he?" asked Scott.

Slayer just stared straight back at Scott with an ominous look.

"He's you...Scott Summers," said Slayer plainly.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Scott as well as some of the other X-men.

"You...Are the savior. You are the only person in the universe that can stop the darkness within the Phoenix once and for all. And only you can save Jean Grey from becoming the next host of this horrid beast."

"But...How?" said a bewildered Scott as he couldn't see how some mutant orphan boy from the streets could be the only hope for stopping an ancient force powerful enough to destroy worlds.

Slayer sighed once more as he got to the hardest part of the legend that he was forced to tell.

"The Phoenix hasn't left this planet yet...It can't. According to the outline of the spell cast upon the Phoenix, it must fully take over the host in order to achieve its full power. The only way it can do this is through the power of a great holy site on the planet of the host. I know where this site is...And it is here where the savior comes in. According to the legend...At this point where the Phoenix amasses its power the savior will make a great sacrifice that will destroy the evil from within, break the spell for good, and free the host from her confinement."

"Sacrifice? What kind of sacrifice?" asked Xavier wearily.

Slayer's look grew more solemn as he looked back over at Scott and told him what he must do to save Jean Grey.

"The ultimate sacrifice...The savior must make a true choice of the heart...And leap in to the flames of the Phoenix...Sacrificing his life in the process. Through the power of this act the mind, body, and soul of the savior will cleanse the evil from within...And break the spell forever. You...Scott Summers...Must make this sacrifice if you are to save the girl that lies within. You must give your life...In order to save countless others...Including Jean's."

The X-men looked back at the mutant warrior with a mixture of shock and anger as they now understood what he was saying. Scott only stood in silence as his mind struggled to process this information.

"Oh no, no way Scott! You wanna get yourself killed!" exclaimed Rogue as she heard what this mysterious man was saying.

"But...That means that you'll be dead..." said Kurt as he walked over to Scott.

"But will Jean live?" asked Scott, whose main concern was still Jean and not his own life.

"Yes, she will live...But you will not," reminded Slayer.

Scott's mind was in a state of pure conflict. He had billions of lives and the life of the girl he loved resting on his shoulders. Normally, his mind would tell him that this man, Slayer, was lying...However, he just couldn't fight the nagging voice within him that was saying that he spoke the truth...And it was the only way. His thoughts then drifted back to Jean, whose screams could still be heard in his mind when he saw that terrible monster take control of her body. Scott then thought back to all the time he had spent with this girl who he had saved in that ally all those years ago...This girl whom Scott believe to be an angel that appeared in his dreams in his darkest hour. She was a girl who had been through a life of hell just like he had been and knew all too well the pain and suffering that came along with having such a terrible past. She was the girl whom he had treasured every moment with...This girl whom he loved so deeply and would do anything to save. Suddenly, Scott's choice became clear and his path set before him. He was going to save her from this malevolent deity...No matter what the cost.

"Then it's settled...I'll do it," said Scott in a determined tone.

"Are you nuts kid?" said Logan who was shocked that he was so willing to do something like this, "You're gonna trust some whacked out stranger with some wild legend? You can't be serious!"

"He's right man," said Evan as he approached his friend, "Look, what's happening to Jean is bad...In fact it's the worst. But killing yourself isn't going to solve a damn thing."

Scott looked undaunted as the words of his friends tried to reason with him, but to no avail...He had already made his decision.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" asked Scott.

"We go along with the Professor's plan and help Jeannie stop this thing herself," said Logan.

"Have you not been listening?" said Slayer, "That plan will only make this whole situation MUCH worse! This is the only way to truly stop it..."

"Yeah? And why should we believe you bub?" grunted Logan as sent a death glare towards the mutant warrior.

"If you don't believe me...Then go ahead and probe my mind! You have my permission; I'll let down my mental defenses. Then you'll see that I speak the truth and only wish to stop this monster from leading us in to a very dark future."

The rest of the team looked intently at Professor Xavier, waiting for him to give the end verdict. Slayer eagerly awaited his response as well, for he would normally never let anybody in to his head. He had some of the strongest mental shields anybody could have. They were part psychic, part magic, and just part mental discipline. He had many reasons for this, but he tossed all those reasons aside for the sake of earning the trust of the X-men, which he so badly needed if he was to stop this monstrosity that had descended upon the world. This was a desperate time...And he needed to do desperate things if he wanted to succeed.

All eyes were on the Professor now as he sensed Slayer letting down his shields for him to see. Then, his answer was clear.

"No...That won't be necessary Slayer," said Xavier.

"What!" exclaimed Logan and some of the others.

"You're willingness to submit to a mental scan is warrant enough to believe that you are indeed telling the truth," stated the Professor.

"But Chuck, we don't even know this guy! He just up and came out of nowhere and now he's saying the only way to stop this Phoenix thing is for Scott to fucking kill himself!" Logan's words were harsh, but his feelings were justified in a sense.

Slayer once again stepped forth to justify his actions. He hoped that he could somehow get the trust he desperately needed if he was to help them all stop the Phoenix once and for all.

"I understand your feelings Logan," said the mutant warrior, "And believe me, I would probably feel the same way if I was in your position. But this legend...This ancient legend that so many people died to pass on...Is the only way to save this world and stop the Phoenix once and for all."

Logan couldn't help but feel defeated in a sense, for his instinct kept telling him that this stranger was telling the truth...And this legend that he spoke of truly was the only way. But Logan and the others still didn't like it one bit because it involved losing someone they all cared about.

"So that it? You're saying Scott's gotta die or everybody dies?" said Logan with a great deal of anger still in his voice.

"Yes," said Slayer flatly knowing that there was no other way to respond.

The mighty mutant warrior sighed, for he understood Loan's apprehension towards him. He looked back towards Scott, who hadn't said a word since Logan's outburst. He seemed calm, but it was because Jean's life was hanging in the balance and Scott was all too willing to do whatever it took to save her. It saddened the mutant warrior to some extent because it meant giving away one life for another. He didn't need the all-seeing eye to see that Scott shared a special bond with Jean Grey, for he could sense it by his determination to save her from a force that could easily destroy them all.

A solemn silence fell over the X-men, for they were truly at a loss for words. Either way they would lose somebody dear to them. There seemed to be no way around it. It was hard to accept because they had been through so much together over the years. They had survived their own personal hell on the streets and in their violent past. But now it seemed that someone was going to have to die no matter what. Each of the young students had seen too much death in their lives as it is, but now the death of a friend seemed too much to bear.

"Scott..." said Kurt as he broke the silence, "You can't be willing to go through with this...Can you?"

Scott simply looked back at his friend. He had made his decision and knew he had to save Jean.

"Would you do the same if it was somebody you loved?" asked Scott.

Kurt then looked back at Kitty. He saw her sad eyes look back in remorse for what was happening. Then, Kurt tried to put himself in Scott's position and pictured the girl he loved being taken over by some dark entity...And soon it became clear.

"Yes...I would," said Kurt simply.

This only caused Kitty to tear up even more.

"Scott please...Don't do this. You're our friend We need you!" exclaimed Kitty as her young mind struggled to process what was happening.

"Yeah Scott...You've been like a big brother to all of us," said Rogue who didn't want to see her friend die.

"We can find another way man...Don't go through with this! " said Evan as he desperately tried to talk his friend out of it, "And what if you did succeed huh? Think of how Jean would feel if she woke up to this world and the first thing she felt was you dying She was sad enough when you were nearly killed before...Just think of how sad she's going to be if you died because of her!"

Scott thought about that for a moment...But it didn't change his mind. He was going to have to go through with this if Jean was to be safe. If he didn't, suffering would follow...And for somebody who knew suffering all too well, he couldn't le it happen. Scott was going to save Jean; it was as simple as that.

"I'm sorry guys, I really am. But I love Jean¼And if my death is the only way to save her...So be it."

Nobody said a word after that, for they knew nothing would change Scott's mind. They knew all too well how much Scott and Jean loved each other. That only made it harder on them, knowing that one of them would have to die to save the other. However, there seemed to be no way around it.

Finally, Slayer broke the silence once more to say what he felt and show them his regret for being the one to tell them this horrid news.

"Look...I don't like being the one to have to tell you this any more than you all like having to hear it. But I have searched and searched through countless resources of knowledge...And this is the only way to stop the Phoenix. Believe me...If I could find another way I would do anything to make it so you all wouldn't have to face this. I really am sorry...But if Scott, the savior, doesn't do this it will only bring more suffering. You have the power kid...It's just a matter of how you use it."

And with those words...The path was set. Scott's fear for Jean's life had overshadowed his fear of death. He truly was the only one who could save her and countless others, but he was willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of the one he cared for most.

"I'll do it..." said Scott, sounding both determined and anxious. "Slayer...How much time do we have?"

The mutant warrior hesitated, but he didn't falter.

"Less than two hours before the Phoenix completes to process and takes over the host."

"Then let's get ready...We're going to stop this thing once and for all."

'Less than two hours to go,' thought Scott to himself as he sat silently in his room for what very well may be the last time.

Most of the others were preparing for the final battle against the Phoenix. They were helping to ready the X-jet, tending to wounds that they had sustained in the first fight, and trying to get mentally prepared for this dreadful mission. Scott knew everything was almost ready and soon they would leave for wherever the Phoenix had hidden itself. It would be the last time for him...He could feel it. When he had first encountered the mysterious mutant warrior and since he had told him of the legend, Scott had been very conflicted. However, now it seemed all too clear on the path he must take if he is to save Jean. As the clock kept ticking Scott looked around the room he had called his own for the last several months. He wanted to remember every inch, every detail of this room that had become his haven from all the ordeals he had to deal with in his brief life. Along the dresser, he looked at pictures of his friends that were taken since they arrived. Scott could see how they had grown from a bunch of traumatized, famished teenagers to something as close as family. The Professor, Logan, and Ororo had given them another chance at having a decent life, but now it seemed that didn't matter. Now all that mattered to Scott was saving the lives of his friends, and Jean.

Then Scott's eyes drifted towards a picture of him and Jean that was taken not long after they started dating. He had his arms around her and she had her arms around him, and they were both smiling. He saw the happiness on both their faces and tried not to let it get to him that he may never feel that kind of feeling again. Slowly, he picked up the framed photo that had come to be his most prized.

"I'm sorry Jean...I wish I could give you more...You deserve more," said Scott to the picture as if he thought he could talk to Jean through it, "But...I guess it just wasn't in the cards for us. Even after all we've been through together...And all the gifts you've given me...I just want you to know that...I am willing to die for you...Because you mean so much to me. And there's nothing I wouldn't give to kiss you...One last time."

Scott gently put the picture back down and let out a deep sigh. Then, he turned his attention towards the object that rested against his bed...His guitar. Slowly, he picked it up and rested it on his knees. This simple instrument had helped him and his friends through some of the worst times on the streets. It helped them through times of great starvation, loneliness, and depression. Scott always loved to play it...Just like his father use to for him and Alex. But after today...This guitar will be forever silent. With that thought in mind...Scott Summers began to play what promised to be his last song. It was a song that was inspired by Jean and he hadn't been able to finish it...Until now. As he began to sing, he hoped that somehow, someway, Jean could hear him._  
_  
Then, as the song ended, Scott just sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then, he heard a knock on the door.

"Scott...Are you ready?" said Logan.

Scott got up and took one last look at his room, the picture, and his guitar then turned away and opened his door to see a solemn, yet still stoic, Logan standing before him.

"I'm ready," said Scott.

There was no turning back now. Jean's life, and the lives of countless others, were hanging in the balance. Scott took a deep breath as he followed Logan to the X-jet...For the Phoenix was waiting...

* * *

AN: I'll leave it at there for now. Stay tuned to see the final battle between the X-men and the Phoenix! Will Scott make the ultimate sacrifice to save Jean? Stay tuned to find out! By the way, that song mentioned above was "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal. He owns it, I don't so please don't sue! I thought it would be fitting for Scott in this situation and what he feels for Jean.

Also, what did you think of my character Slayer? He was inspired by some of my other fics like "Xtra Member" and "Matchmaker." But he is NOT the same guy mentioned in those stories. If you want to know what he's like, I'd say he's a big mixture of characters like Dr. Strange, Samurai Jack, Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, Spike Spiegal from Cowboy Bebob, and Auron from Final Fantasy X. Also, that little speech he made about the whole "cause and effect" thing is a result of me watching too much of the Matrix. Never the less, I just wanted to add in there for the hell of it. Another thing, that all-seeing eye mark that he has is based on an actual ancient Egyptian symbol. There really was an eye in their culture that they believed could see everything. The eye belonged to the Sphinx, who could see all and know all, but enough of that. I'm eager to know what you all think of my new character so please tell me! I may add him in some other stories of mine if he fits well so you may not see the last of him after this story is over. If you want to know more about him, e-mail me at or stay tuned to find out more.

One more thing, the dark and terrible future Slayer mentions in this chapter relate to all the conflicts that the Phoenix causes in the comics and the other cartoon show. If any of you have read the comics you know that this thing has caused the death of Jean Grey 3 times! The billions of lives that Slayer was talking about refers to the planets the Phoenix destroyed in the comic. And in the recent comics concerning the future of the X-men are not very pleasant. That always kind of bothered me. This is just my way of setting up an alternate path that doesn't involve somebody coming back from the dead multiple times and messing up things between Jean and Scott and the X-men...But I needed Slayer's help in order to do that!

Don't forget to review! Send them to me at or post them on Until next time, best wishes to you all!

REVIEW OR I SHALL GO CRAZY!


	31. The Ultimate Battle

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 30: The Ultimate Battle**

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AN: You wanted it, you got it! The ultimate battle with the Phoenix! Thank you so much to all those who reviewed this story to this point and I hope I haven't disappointed you. This is MAJOR Scott/Jean so I hope you like it! Now, without further adieu…Chapter 30 entitled "The Ultimate Battle." 

But first, a message to my reviewers!

KSimonT-X: I'm glad you like my character! I was kinda weary about using him at first, but I just couldn't tell the story any other way. And yes! His powers were partially inspired by my very own "Chosen One" series. But I changed things slightly so that it wasn't exactly the same, so that means he's not connected with the strange land of Taitzu that I used in my previous story. As for the Phoenix...Well, just read and see for yourself the role Scott plays in the end!

Sentoris: I'm honored you think so highly of my Phoenix saga. I have to say that I was somewhat unsure at first, but you my friend have helped put those fears to rest! And I'm also glad you liked Slayer. I don't know if I'll have time to fully explain who he is in this story...But if I get enough demand I may put him in my next story which is already in the works! And while I did kind of base him off of Link from my other stories, he is NOT the same guy. Just inspired by him. As for Scott's sacrifice...Well, you'll just have to read and see for yourself I hope you like it!

Agent-G: If you think you know what's going to happen, then by all means see for yourself! And as for Magneto being the cause of Jean's latest death...Well, that's partially right and partially wrong. The Phoenix did play a part in it. However, I don't read New X-men anymore since they killed her, so I don't know. Thanks for your review And I hope you like this chapter!

Star-of-Chaos: Oops! My bad Thanks for pointing that out. Those lyrics were kind of hard to find. Sorry!

ASGT(): Yes! Another fellow Cowboy Bebob fan! I love that show and I love the movie Spike is one of he coolest anime characters EVER! He was part of the inspiration that helped me create Slayer!

Quill of Molliemon: I'm glad you like Slayer! And to answer your question, he's in his early twenties, about 23 to be precise. I think I mentioned that last chapter, but then again maybe I didn't. As for Scott's fate...Well, you'll just have to wait and see if he carries out the legend!

Japanese Dragon: I know, the suspense is hard...But here's the update! Enjoy!

Sprocket: Try not to go too crazy man. Sorry for the suspense, but I think cliff-hangers add to the excitement in the end. I'm glad you like Slayer I have an idea for another story with him that I may start on after this story is over. If you want I'll keep you posted on that plan. And thank you so much for your wonderful praise It really means a lot to me!

Enchantedlight: Every update will come until this story is over! That I promise you!

Kalie: I'm glad to hear from you again! And yeah, I can't believe this story has gone on so long either. But I can't stop...Not just yet. And thank you so much for saying I have talent I really appreciate it!

Aimtbj: Well, Scott will have to die if Jean is to live. It's a bad situation, I know...But the legend is the only way. Read on if you want to see what I decide to do in the end! And I'm glad you like Slayer, it means a lot to me because I created him!

Random Reader: Yeah, I hate the comics now. It's not enough they've made Scott in to a jerk...But they took it too far when they never even gave a reason! It's just like that whole cause and effect thing I mentioned in the last chapter. Everything happens for a reason, and Marvel seems to have forgotten that. This story gives Scott a character, but it's not two-dimensional. I actually try to give reasons for his actions instead of making everything so random! Whether or not I do a good job about it...Well that's up to readers such as yourself!

Darkness1: Ah, may faithful reviewer You rock You can tell from the last chapter that I love the Matrix. I didn't intend to put that cause and effect part in, but I just had to after watching reloaded again As for Scott making his sacrifice, well you're gonna find out in this chapter I hope you like it Also, thanks for the info you sent me, I appreciate it

Lexan: I'm glad this was your first Evo fic and I'm even more glad you liked it! I know it's kinda long, but I wanted it to be for the sake of the story. Don't worry, I try my best to update at least once a week, and I hope you like what I have planned! Thanks again and enjoy!

Wen: As always my friend, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful comments I hope you like this chapter!

Whoa, that was long! Sorry, but every reviewer counts! Enjoy the chapter!

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Few words were spoken as the X-men and the mutant warrior known as Slayer boarded the X-jet. Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue tried not to let their sorrow show as they looked back at Scott whom they had trusted as their friend and leader for years now. This mission promised to be Scott's last…For if he was to stop the Phoenix and save Jean Grey, he would have to make the ultimate sacrifice. None of them wanted to see Scott die. They all had seen enough death in their lives as it is. The Professor couldn't help but pick up on these feelings of anxiety that his students were projecting all too loudly as they prepared to take off in to the sky. He too didn't want to see his oldest student die before he had a chance to have a future. He was only 18 years old and he has his whole life ahead of him. He has so much potential to make something of himself even after all the terrible things he has faced in the past. The team wouldn't be the same without him…But Scott seemed all too willing to make this sacrifice for Jean's sake. There was no denying that.

As these thoughts ran through Xavier's mind, Scott came up from behind him.

"Professor…Could you do something for me?" asked Scott as the Professor turned to face him.

"Of course Scott, what is it?" asked the Professor who tried to hide the fear that was apparent in his voice.

Scott took a deep breath, as he was about to ask this man who had been like a father to him for one last favor.

"After all this is over…And everybody is safe even though I may not alive to see it…Will you give this to Jean?"

Then, Scott handed the Professor a single envelope with Jean's name written in bold letters on the front. Even with a heart full of sorrow, the Professor did not hesitate and accepted the letter.

"I'll make sure she gets it…You have my word," said the Professor as he held on to the envelope.

Scott managed to smile back at him even under the circumstances.

"Thank you Professor…For everything."

And with that, they both boarded the plane and prepared for the final takeoff.

"So where to Slayer?" asked Wolverine as the jet sped off hiding his own feelings about this mission.

"The Central American jungles…There we will find the temple of the Phoenix. And hopefully we're not too late," said the mutant warrior as the X-jet zoomed over the horizon at full speed.

* * *

As the jet got closer and closer to the destination Slayer had specified, the team's increasing feelings of anxiety over Scott's fate grew. They knew every second was getting closer and closer to when Scott would have to carry out his decision. However, through all this uncertainty he seemed somewhat calm. His thoughts were still focused on Jean and saving her from this horrible force. To Scott, her safety had become more important than his own life. However, that didn't change the fact that if this succeeded…He would be dead. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. Suddenly, Slayer felt compelled to say something to break the silence. 

"Scott…For what it's worth I'm sorry it has to be this way. I know you and your friends have faced tremendous hardships…I've seen that. You all shouldn't have to face choices like this. Believe me when I say I would have done everything within my power to stop this thing without anyone being killed…But there are just some things that can't be changed."

Scott looked back towards the mutant warrior, who was sitting in a seat behind him. He didn't feel at all hostile to this stranger anymore who had saved them all earlier. However, his feelings towards what he's had to tell them hung strong.

"You shouldn't be sorry Slayer. If anything…I should thank you for what you've done for us," said Scott to Slayer's surprise, "Because of you, we can stop this thing before it claims any of the lives it's capable of. You said it yourself, if the Phoenix stays the way it is it will only bring more suffering to all of us…"

"It is still a high price to pay," reminded Slayer.

"But you said it would be better for us all in the end…And I believe that," replied Scott, "This thing can't be allowed to gain full power over Jean."

"Scott…We can still find another way," said Ororo who didn't want to see Scott go through with his decision any more than the others did.

Scott just shook his head, for he knew now that there was no turning back.

"No…We can't. This is just something that has to be done…And if I'm the only one who can do it then I guess there's nothing I can do to change that."

The mutant warrior tried to sound as sincere as he could, for he knew the feelings of remorse that the rest of the X-men were going through. He could see it with the power of the all-seeing eye…But he wished he didn't. He saw in to the past and learned of their terrible upbringings that were riddled with violence, poverty, rape, and death. Now they seemed doomed to face even more death. And this time it was somebody that really meant something to them. Scott was more than just a leader to all of them…He was a true friend. And they truly didn't want to see him die.

Suddenly, the all-seeing eye mark on Slayer's face began to glow…They had arrived.

"We're here. We're right over the temple," said Slayer as he used his power to pinpoint its final location.

"What? I don't see anything out there but jungle," said Logan as he and the rest of the team looked out the windows.

"Wait for it…" said the mutant warrior simply as the countdown to the Phoenix attaining full power reached 20 minutes.

No sooner had Slayer said these words, a powerful rumbling shook within the ground below.

"What the…Oh my word," said Hank as he looked out the window along with the rest of the team.

Through the violent shaking of the ground below…A mysterious pyramid arose from the ground. It grew through the Earth, shattering the rock around it until it stood high over the trees. There was a large courtyard around it with tall pillars encircling the main temple that stood in the center. It was made of gray stone and had numerous pictures of statues and pictures of the Phoenix around it. The top of the pyramid was tipped with a mysterious opening that gave off a fiery red glow from within. The strange ancient temple gave off an ominous glow as the X-jet flew near it.

"Land over in that clearing," ordered Slayer as he saw the activity within the temple increase.

Logan took the plane down towards a small field outside the temple walls. The vast structure now dominated the landscape before them. Then suddenly the Professor, Slayer, and Scott sensed the coming of a powerful new presence. In the evening sky above them, a fiery cluster of dark red flames began to swirl around the top of the pyramid.

"The Phoenix has arrived…" said Slayer as he and the rest of the X-men watched the flames enter the top of the great structure.

"What's it doing?" wondered Evan aloud.

"The Phoenix has a great deal of power as it is and could very easily destroy this whole planet without a second thought…But it isn't enough for the dark entity. It lusts for it's full potential. This temple was built on a sacred spot with powerful mystic properties and it will provide the medium necessary to fully overtake Jean and become one with her powers. It can't suppress Jean alone because of her inherent strength and her powerful mutation…But with the help of a little magic, she'll be gone for good and the full power of the ancient entity will finally be unleashed."

There was a brief pause upon hearing the mutant warrior's words, but the team stayed undaunted because as powerful and dangerous as the Phoenix was…It was still Jean.

"Then we've gotta stop this," said Logan as he carefully sniffed the air for any activity, but so far had found nothing.

As the team walked through the central courtyard leading up to the temple's entrance, the powerful glow coming from the top of the structure gave them all an ominous feeling. Everybody was to take part in this fight except the Professor, who stayed behind with Cerebro just in case everything went wrong. However, Slayer knew that if they had to resort to using that device…It would already be too late.

A dark feeling could be felt around the team as they approached the front of this massive temple. It couldn't be seen, sensed, or smelled…But somehow they knew it was there. However, there was no time to act upon that feeling, for they had reached the gate.

"Any idea's how to open this thing?" asked Beast as he read over some of the inscriptions.

"The only way this door could be opened is through a powerful magic spell…But that would take too long," replied Slayer as he unsheathed his long, glowing sword from the case on his back, "Instead, we'll use a more direct approach."

"Now yer talking!" said Logan with a wolfish grin as he unleashed his claws.

Both mutants then proceeded to slash an opening in to the thick stone doorway. Slayer's sword seemed to cut it with no problems at all, and the mystical properties impeded, but didn't stop, the Wolverine. Finally, a large opening was formed and Slayer put his sword back in its case.

"Come…We have less than 15 minutes before it is too late," said the mutant warrior as he led them in.

The team followed cautiously in to the temple, but the strange dark feeling from earlier had not vanished…In fact it was getting stronger. The light in the room seemed to have its source deep in the temple's center. There…Dark Phoenix awaited them. Scott tried to remain calm and collected, but time was running out. He kept searching for Jean's presence through the mind link he shared with her…But there was still just emptiness. However he hadn't forgotten what happened earlier when he heard her through their link even though everything else indicated that the Phoenix had completely taken over. Now, his faith resided on the knowledge of a mysterious stranger who had come out of nowhere to help them. He had been true to his word so far with leading them to the temple and saving them from the first fight with the Phoenix. Even though this legend of the keeper and the savior meant certain death for him…Scott's feelings for Jean overshadowed even that universal fear.

Suddenly, Slayer stopped cold in his tracks for some reason. The all-seeing eye tattoo on his face was starting to glow…And he was seeing something that the rest of the team wasn't.

"Slayer…What is it?" asked Storm as the others stopped as well.

He was looking at the inscriptions that littered every inch of the walls around them.

"Something's wrong…This whole room feels very wrong," said Slayer ominously as he grabbed his sword and took a battle stance.

"What are you talking…" but then a loud rumbling noise cut Rogue's question off as the writing on the walls began to glow a fiery red color.

The writing seemed almost…Alive in a sense as the glowing got brighter. Suddenly, small balls of flame no bigger than a marble floated down from the walls. They seemed to hover like fireflies before them…Then in a bright flash they started to grow in size and took a human shape. Then, as the glowing ceased the final form of the being could be seen. It didn't look human…It looked like fully armored Aztec and Mayan warriors of ancient times. They had inhuman faces that looked like living masks as they gave off an inhuman snarl as dozens of them encircled the bewildered mutants.

The X-men stood back in shock while Slayer remained stoic and ready for battle.

"What the hell are these things!" exclaimed Logan as he unleashed his claws.

"Guardians…" said the mutant warrior simply, "The Phoenix knows we're here…And it's trying to slow us down."

"So vhat do ve do?" asked Kurt as the strange guardians got closer and closer.

One of the guardians lunged at Slayer, but he was ready for him. In one swift motion with his sword, the mutant warrior effortlessly slashed through the strange being and it disappeared in a fiery whimper.

"We fight our way through!" said Slayer as he prepared for another attack.

"Sounds like a plan," said Logan with determined growl.

Then, the strange guardians of the temple lashed out and attacked the team full force. They were strong, but so were the X-men. An epic melee broke out as more guardians formed and the team of mutants fought with all their strength. Many of them had large weapons that often had a fiery end the same color as the fires of the Phoenix. Some shot out balls of flame from their mouths as they attempted to push them all back out from where they came. The sounds of inhuman roars and the clash of flesh and steel echoed through the great halls as time began to tick away ever faster for the team. However, as the team fought one…They discovered something strange about these strange entities.

"What's happening? They keep coming back? " yelled Kitty as she saw one warriors that had been destroyed come right back to life from the mysterious writings on the wall.

"They can't be killed!" said Slayer as he fired a mystic blast at a group of demon guardians, "They are incarnations of dark magic that the Phoenix has bought to life and are being fueled by its flames!"

"Great…" said Logan as he started to slash his way through an oversized dark warrior. "So what do we do?"

The mutant warrior remained stoic and determined as he fought on.

"We keep fighting..." said Slayer as he unleashed a powerful magic burst at a cluster of guardians only have them reappear again.

"How much time to we have left?" yelled Scott as he kept firing optic blasts.

"Ten minutes!"

Slayer's skill as a warrior became all the more apparent as he used a great deal of speed, strength, and skill with his sword that gave off a white glow. He made it look easy as he dodged the attacks of the guardians and slashed through them one by one. Logan was also unleashing his full rage upon the guardians. He cut through them easily with his claws, but they kept coming back…No matter what the team did they kept coming back. Rouge stayed close to him as she found that she couldn't use her absorption powers on them, so she had to rely on the martial arts training Logan had taught her. They fought on. Storm had used lightning and rain to put out the fires of the blasts, Scott used his optic blasts to mow entire clusters of them down, while Kurt and Kitty used their powers to dodge and often lead the strange beings in to destroying themselves. As they fought harder, the strange glowing or fiery red light from the core of the temple kept on getting brighter. Slayer slashed through a few more guardians as he looked at these ominous flames.

"We have to move…We have only one chance at this…" said Slayer as he saw the flames get brighter. "Scott! You have to get to the core "

"But what about the rest of you!yelled Scott through the maelstrom of fighting.

"I'll clear a path for you!" said the mutant warrior as he fought his way over to Scott and blasted through the group of guardians blocking off the way to the core.

Scott hesitated briefly as he watched his friends fight off the intense waves of guardian warriors. The path before him was clear…If he went he might never see them again. Less then 10 minutes remained…Before everything would be lost.

"You have to choose Scott! You are the only one who can stop the Phoenix once and for all!" yelled Scott as more guardians appeared from the writing on the walls. "We have only 10 minutes! GO!"

As Scott saw the strange dark warriors fight his friends…He made his final choice. Seeing a clear path, he ran through the narrow corridor towards the center to the temple where the fiery light glowed ever brighter. As he ran, Slayer and the rest of Scott's friends looked back…Wishing him luck.

"Good luck kid…And goodbye," said Logan as he watched Scott run off.

Upon hearing that, Slayer felt a conflicting feeling surge through his mind. Even as more and more guardian warriors swamped his position, he couldn't help but feel guilt over what was happening to these young teens whom had been hurt enough in their lives. Gritting his teeth in anger…The mutant warrior made a choice of his own.

* * *

Time was running out as Scott finally reached center of the great temple. As he walked in to the vast chamber he took in the sight before him. The intense fires of the great Phoenix burned brightly over a deep pit in the center of the room that stood under the opening on the top of the temple. A bright beam of fiery light shot through the sky as the process was almost complete. Through all the flames and the bright lights before him, Scott could make out a faint outline of Jean's body that now burned with the bright fires of the holy bird. 

"Jean!" yelled Scott as he ran up to the pit.

However, he was stopped cold in his tracks when a blast of telekinetic force knocked him back towards the wall.

"You shouldn't have come here mortal There is no more Jean…" hissed the voice of the powerful deity, "There is only I…DARK PHOENIX!"

"Jean…Listen to me…You've got to fight it I know your still in there…I know you are!"

"Foolish mortal!" bellowed the Phoenix as it slammed Scott against the wall, "You delude yourself in seeking this puny girl! You can't save her anymore than you can save yourself…"

"That's not true…" said Scott as he got up slowly and fought through the pain. "I sensed her…I felt her…I know she's still alive somewhere in that body of evil and hate…"

"She is DEAD! SHE IS DEADER THAN EVEN YOU WILL BE ONCE YOU FEEL MY WRATH!" yelled the Phoenix as the fires burned ever brighter.

"No she's not…" said Scott in a strangely calm voice, "Say what you will, but I know what I felt…And I know that she's alive. She's a part of you just as much as you have become a part of her…And she's strong…Strong enough to subdue even you!"

The rage within the great Phoenix grew as the intense fires caused Scott to fall back under the shock wave given off.

"NOTHING SHALL SUBDUE DARK PHOENIX!"

"You're wrong!" yelled Scott as he got up once again. "She can and she will Jean…If you can hear me…Fight it! You have to Jean I know you can do it! I know you can I believe in you!"

"ERRRRRRRRRRRR! BE GONE PITIFUL MORTAL!" yelled the Phoenix with great anger as it used its great power to lift Scott up off the ground.

Scott found every muscle in his body feel stiff under the force of the holy bird's power. He was floated off the ground he stood and drawn closer to the powerful flames. He could no longer move…But he remained unafraid, for he still felt the weak presence in his mind that he knew was Jean Grey. He refused to give up on her as long as there was a breath in his body. He knew that in the end it was he would have to save the love of his life from a terrible fate…But he wanted her to fight this thing.

"YOU FOOLISH HUMAN! I SHALL TEAR YOU APART ATOM BY ATOM FOR YOUR INSUBORDINANCE!"

"Not today " came a voice from the other side of the chamber.

Suddenly, Scott was dropped back on to the hard floor and flung against the wall. He was still conscious…But he struggled to get up. Then, he looked over to where the voice had come from and saw Slayer standing before the Phoenix ready for battle with his glowing sword fully drawn.

"What is this? Another puny little mortal that thinks they can stop the likes of me? " taunted the holy bird as it felt unthreatened by this new presence. "What can you do that can possibly stop the almighty Phoenix?"

"The best I can…" said Slayer with determination as he lunged forth at the flames.

With his powerful sword he slashed through the fires of the Phoenix, but they seemed to have little effect on it. The more he slashed the more the fires kept coming back. The holy bird responded by launching balls of flame at the nimble young warrior, but he was able to dodge them and continue to slash at the Phoenix. However, try as he might even his magic sword could do nothing to scratch the powerful deity.

"You're a pesky little mortal…But a mortal none the less!" yelled the Phoenix as it let forth a telekinetic burst that flung the mutant warrior back.

Slayer remained undaunted despite this and began to unleash mystical blasts of his own from the symbols atop his hands. He tried using every element against the holy Phoenix and every magic spell he could muster. However, it still didn't even scratch the Phoenix as it merely scoffed at Slayer's feeble attempts.

"GIVE UP PEST! YOU CAN'T WIN! YOU'RE PUNY LITTLE MAGIC CAN'T HURT THE LIKES OF ME!"

Slayer grunted in frustration as he focused even harder and increased the intensity of his power to levels beyond what he normally would use. However, it still wasn't working. With all his strength he put forth the full fury of his magic upon the dark entity.

"You…Won't…Win…" grunted Slayer, as the brightness of his powerful mystic blasts grew more intense, "I…Won't…Let you!"

Slayer's strong words merely amused the Phoenix as its powerful flames blocked the massive blast.

"IT IS NOT WITHIN YOUR POWER TO STOP ME! NOBODY CAN STOP ME! FOR THIS IS BOUGHT ON BY THE POWER OF FATE AND THE DESTINY OF ALL THOSE WHO SHALL FEEL MY WRATH!"

Slayer pushed himself to his limits even though it seemed all too futile. However, he remained undaunted by the words of the holy bird.

"There's just…One problem…With that," he said through the power of his mystic blast, "I…Don't…Believe…In…Fate!"

Slayer was nearly at his limits…But it was still not strong enough to effect the powerful deity in the slightest. It's laugh echoed through the great chamber as it resisted the mutant warrior's magic.

"It does not matter what you believe warrior!" yelled the Phoenix, "NOTHING will stop the reign of DARK PHOENIX! NOTHING!"

Then, with a swift blast of powerful telekinetic force…The holy Phoenix sent the full power of Slayer's blasts back at him and sent him flying against the chamber walls. The mutant warrior was dazed nearly in to unconsciousness by the force alone…But the Phoenix was not done with him just yet. Slayer tried to get up…But then he found himself being flung through the air and slammed in to the walls and floors of the chamber again and again. He tried to break free, but his head was still spinning after being flung back the first time. With all his might, the mutant warrior tried to use his power and skill to break free from the telekinetic grasp of the Phoenix, but it wasn't good enough. After being bashed and slammed around many times, the Phoenix finally stopped and floated him back in front of the fiery pit where the Phoenix was collecting it's final power.

"Pathetic…" said the Phoenix as the motionless body of Slayer now floated before it, "The mightiest warrior this planet can muster is still merely an insect to my power…But fear not, for you and countless others shall feel my wrath soon enough!"

Then, a powerful beam of fiery light blasted the mutant warrior and knocked him back against the stone walls of the chamber and knocked him out cold.

Slayer was down…He couldn't stop the Phoenix even with all his power. He was still alive…But he was out of the fight. Scott slowly got up as he saw not that he was the only one left who could stop this thing. Still hurting from the beating the Phoenix gave him earlier; he approached the holy entity as it prepared to deliver the final blow to Slayer.

"Jean! Stop!" yelled Scott as he struggled to maintain his balance.

The Phoenix diverted it's attention from the mutant warrior back to Scott as he stood in defiance even after all the Phoenix had done and the power it showed. Then, it let forth another telekinetic blast that sent Scott flying back, but he got right back up this time. With Slayer down…He refused to fall. He would not let this thing control Jean.

"Why do you not fight me mortal?" said the Phoenix as it grew frustrated by Scott's persistence.

"I can't fight you Jean…I could never hurt you," said Scott softly as he struggled back towards the front of the pit.

This just enraged the Phoenix more.

"WHY DO YOU PURSIST YOU DAMNED HUMAN? THERE IS NO MORE JEAN ONLY DARK PHOENIX!" roared the dark entity as it used its telekinesis to lift Scott off the ground once again.

"Say what you will…But I will never believe you. I know she's still there…I can feel it. And I won't give up on her!" said Scott.

"YOU ARE A FOOL! SUCH FEEBLE HOPE FOR SUCH A PITIFUL MORTAL! YOUR PESTILENCE HAS TRIED MY TEMPER FOR THE LAST TIME! NOW YOU SHALL BE THE FIRST TO FEEL MY TRUE POWER!"

Scott remained unafraid even though he knew the Phoenix was capable of tearing him apart on the molecular level. However, he knew that this was still Jean even after everything the Phoenix had shown him. It was still the same girl he had met in that dark alley over 6 years ago in their darkest hour. It was still Jean...He knew it and now more than ever his path as the savior was clear.

"Go ahead…Do it," said Scott still unafraid.

The Phoenix let out an angry grunt…It was trying, but not succeeding. Something was holding it back. Scott knew what this was and refused to give up hope for the girl that was still within those sinister fires.

"I…WILL…DESTROY…YOU!" grunted the holy entity, but still couldn't go through with the final act.

"You can't do it…You boast and you threaten me, but in the end I know you can't go through with it. I know because Jean would never go through with it."

"SHE…IS…DEAD!"

"If she is then what's stopping you?" yelled Scott with determination, "Come on! DO IT! Kill me! It's all the same to me! Because if she really is dead then I don't want to live in a world without her…I can't live in a world without her. COME ON! DO IT! IF YOU'RE SO EVIL DO IT!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A mighty roar echoed throughout the entire temple as the powerful deity thrashed wildly in a struggle to control it's own power. Scott was released from his telekinetic grasp in the process and he fell back to his feet as he stood a short distance from the pit of the Phoenix. It was not blasting or trying to hurt him now…Instead it was trying to fight itself. Scott once again felt the warm buzz in his head grow and he knew then that Jean was finally fighting it…But it was still a struggle, for she was unable to fully subdue the dark entity.

"I knew you could fight it Jean…I knew you truly wouldn't hurt anyone…" said Scott as he took another step towards the pit.

"She…Can't…Hear…You! I…Will…Not…Be…STOPPED!" grunted the Phoenix as it struggled even more than before.

"You can and you will be stopped Dark Phoenix. Jean is strong enough and you can't do anything to stop her because she's still a part of you."

This only enraged the Phoenix even more, but it still couldn't subdue what was left of Jean Grey within it's fiery interior.

"WHY DO YOU INSIST ON SAVING SUCH A PITIFUL MORTAL?" yelled the Phoenix through the struggle, "WHY DO YOU CARE FOR SUCH AN INSIGNIFICANT SPECK OF HUMAN FLESH? WHY!"

"Because…I love her," said Scott as he was now at the edge of the fiery pit that the Phoenix stood over.

"Love? BAH! A pitiful excuse for a human emotion! I can destroy worlds! I can obliterate billions! I can unravel the very fabric of the universe!"

"Jean is my world…She is my universe…" said Scott knowing that somehow Jean was hearing this and needed him now more then ever to find the strength to subdue this horrid beast. "A world without her is a world I could never be a part of…A world I could never live in. She's my best friend…She's the one I fell in love with…And she will live…Even if it means I have to die."

Scott's words seemed to have triggered something powerful within Jean as she was now on the brink of overcoming the holy bird with the power of her mind and her heart. Dark Phoenix let out another roar, as it could no longer ignore the strength of Jean Grey. From the sidelines, Slayer began to regain consciousness and watched the scene unfold before him. There wasn't a lot of time left…It would be here where the legend ends.

Scott felt Jean struggling within the depths of his mind. She tried, but still couldn't subdue the angry deity. Scott knew the time was fast approaching for him to make the sacrifice that Slayer had spoken of. However, he wanted Jean to hear him one last time before he gave his life to save her. He needed to give her strength…So he did the only thing he knew that could give Jean the strength she needed…He began to sing._  
_  
And as he did...Suddenly, a burst of fiery light erupted from the pit and the almighty holy bird thrashed violently as Jean Grey took control and struggled to keep it. However, the Phoenix would not be subdued and it kept on fighting…But Scott kept on singing. Then...A voice from within all the fiery hate that brewed within the Phoenix was heard.

"Scott…" said Jean from within all the anger and hate of Dark Phoenix.

White-hot tears flowed down the cheeks of Jean Grey as the fires still consumed her and refused to let her go. But she was holding them back with more power than she had ever thought she had. The power of that song…That very same song that Scott had sang to her that fateful night they first met…Was giving her strength…

Scott smiled back at her, for Jean had done it…She had suppressed the Phoenix. From the other side of the room, Slayer watched in amazement as he saw the ancient legend that was billions of years old unfold before him.

Scott was on the edge of the pit that the powerful red fires of the Phoenix were burning through. The sinister power they promised to unleash was still trying to find it's way out. Jean couldn't suppress it much longer…And Scott knew this. However, he wanted Jean to be there…He wanted to say his last words to her…Before he gave his life to save her.

"I love you Jean…I always have, and I always will…And I'm sorry it has to end like this," said Scott softly as he prepared himself for his final living act.

"Scott…I…" but she couldn't say anymore as the tears of white-hot fire burned with greater intensity.

Somehow, Jean knew what Scott was planning…But could do nothing to stop it.

"Look after the others Jean…Be strong. Always trust your instinct…Have faith in others and protect those who can't protect themselves. And most of all…Follow you're dreams Jean…And don't ever forget how much you mean to me."

Scott's words were choked with emotion as he knew they would be his last. Jean's tears through the fires of the Phoenix only grew hotter as she heard what Scott was saying. She could do nothing about this…Her every ounce of strength had gone in to suppressing Dark Phoenix and all she could do now is watch. She wanted to say so many things to Scott…But she didn't have the strength. Scott had allowed her to take control when there was so much holding her back. Through this…The mind link between them had grown as strong as ever. But Scott was about to make a choice that would make it irrelevant. He knew it and Jean knew it…But it was the only way. These two kindred souls had found each other in their darkest hour and since then had developed a bond that almost went beyond love itself. This made the sacrifice that Scott was going to make all the more difficult. He didn't want Jean to ever feel pain…Even if it meant his own life. Jean didn't want it to end like this…Not after everything they had been through. Now came the hardest decision either of them had to make in their already tumultuous lives. Scott looked back up at the girl he had been with for the last six years. The fires around her still burned brightly with the sinister dark red flames. He had made his choice…And he was going to save her.

"Goodbye Jean…Thank you."

Scott Summers then closed his eyes. The final second had come. Then…With his last words and thoughts to Jean…He performed his final living act…And leaped in to the fiery flames of the Phoenix…

* * *

AN: Will it work? Will Jean be saved by Scott's sacrifice or will his death be in vain? How will it all end? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out I know I'm leaving you all at a cliffhanger here because this chapter ran longer than I thought. But fear not! I shall finish it I hoped you all liked the special Scott/Jean moments in this story thus far. Also, what did you think of my character Slayer? Remember, he's mine so please don't steal him unless you ask first! Also, don't forget to review Send them to me at or post them on Until next time, best wishes to you all!

REVIEW! THE MORE DEMAND I GET THE FASTER I'LL UPDATE!


	32. The Sacrifice

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 31: The Sacrifice**

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AN: Here it is! You wanted it, I wrote it! Be prepared for some angst though. Now without further adieu...I present to you X-men: Evolution of the Heart, "The Sacrifice."

However, I must answer my reviewers first!

Aimtbj: Sorry for the cliff hanger! Don't worry, I updated! I'm glad you like Slayer and the Jott moments! Thanks for sending your review!

Japanese Dragon: Sorry if you're hypersensitive. Hopefully, this chapter will give you some closure. I hope you like it!

Oceanbang: I know it's sad...But that's just the way the story turned out. Don't worry, I think this chapter will give you some closure on the Phoenix Saga of "Evolution of the Heart."

SHAWN PROVONCHA: Well, here's the next chapter. I hope it lives up to your expectation. Thanks for your review!

Lexan: I had to give this chapter a lot of thought, so it took a while to write. But I think that I ended it well. What do you think? I hope you like it!

Darkness1: Thanks for your kind words my friend! And I hope this chapter satisfies you're hopes for this story! Thanks again and stay cool my friend!

Agent-G: Thanks for reviewing! I've had quite a tough time getting this chapter up, but thanks to people like you, I've been able to work hard enough to get it up. I hope you like how I end the Pheonix Saga! Enjoy!

Quill of Molliemon: This is the last chapter of the Phoenix Saga, I hope you like how it ends! Thanks for reading it thus far my friend!

Star-of-Chaos: It's not over yet! Read this chapter and see how it all ends!

ASGT: Have fun in Colorado! And fear not, for I shall update as much as I can so you'll have more to read when you get back! Have a good time and I wish you the best!

Sentoris: I'm honored that this is you're favorite Phoenix Saga! There are just so many out there that I can't tell you how much it means to me that you like it so much! As for my next story...I don't want to give it away just yet, so you'll have to wait until after this story is over. I'll keep you updated if you want, but until then I hope you keep reading! This is the last chapter to my Phoenix Saga, so I hope you like how it ends!

Reddfire: Me work for Evo? I wish! I know the story is a bit complex, but that's only because I think the cartoon and the comics just aren't complex enough. I've been trying to balance it because lately in the comics...Everything has been messed up. If I worked for Marvel, I'd actually try listening to the fans. And don't be fooled! Reviews do sometimes determine what I'm going to write next! As for the Jean thing you mentioned, I had problems trying to write that out so I kind of negated it and had most of the characters get lost in the thought of Scott having to kill himself to save Jean. That and it was the simple notion of trading one life for another that fueled how I wrote it out. Sorry if that's the way it came out because that was not my intention. But...The Phoenix saga of my story ends here! See how it turns out and enjoy!

Ranndie Mazda: Yeah, I love the Matrix. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone. And I'm also glad to see that you like my character. I put a lot of thought and planning in to him and it really means a lot to me that you approve. And in the future I plan to put in my next story, and it is there where you'll learn more about who Slayer is and what he's about. Don't worry, this chapter should give you the closure you desire! I hope you like it! Thank you very much for sending me a review!

MysticJunebugs: I'm glad you think my story is so great and I'm honored that you think I have talent! And don't worry...I will continue this story until it is finished! Thank you so much and I hope you like this chapter!

Enchantedlight: Sorry for the cliffhanger, but here's the update! I stopped the last chapter because it ran long. But fear not! The final chapter of the Phoenix saga is here! Enjoy!

Cat: Thank you for saying such nice things about my story. And I'm sorry if you think it was sad. Hopefully, this chapter will give you some closure. Enjoy!

Wen: As always, I thank you my friend! Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated and I hope you like this chapter!

Well, that's it! I hope you all like the final part of the Phoenix Saga to my story! Enjoy!

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Scott Summers had done it...He had made his choice. He had chosen to give his life to save Jean Grey from becoming the sinister Dark Phoenix. He made the ultimate sacrifice for this girl...For love. The mutant warrior, Slayer, watched Scott leap in to the flames as the final seconds came and went. He struggled to his feet even after the beating the Phoenix had given him. Now...All he could do is watch the legend unfold before him.

The mind, body, and soul of Scott Summers was consumed by the bright red fires of the holy Phoenix...Then, something strange happened. The aura that was Scott Summers began to glow a fiery blue flame that was only minuscule at first...But then it began to grow. The pure blue fires began to spread throughout every part of the sinister deity. The evil red flames were replaced with the blue flames as the ancient spell that bound the Phoenix shattered like glass. With this...The evil within let out an agonizing final yell.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" roared the evil entity as the purity of the good blue fires consumed it.

The whole room began to shake as all the dark red flames were now replaced with blue ones. The brightness of the fires was blinding as an intense beam of blue light shot out of the top of the temple and in to the sky. This caused the whole temple to rumble from top to bottom. Slayer saw the intensity of the power grow...And then knew that it was time to get out. He ran back down the corridor from which he came to gather the rest of the team.

The X-men had continued to battle the mysterious guardians all through the countdown. They were exhausted, but they fought on. Then, as the shaking of the temple grew, the mysterious dark guardians that had been holding them back...Vanished in to thin air like dust in the wind. Before they could do anything else, Slayer came running through the main corridor.

"The whole place is going to blow!" yelled the mutant warrior as chunks of stone began to fall.

"I'll port us out!" said Kurt.

"No time! Everybody gather around! Hurry!" yelled Slayer.

There was no time for any of them to argue...So they gathered in close around the mutant warrior. Then, the symbols on the back of his hands began to glow as he started chanting some mysterious spell. From the power of Slayer's magic, a glowing purple haze engulfed the entire team. They watched nervously as the roof above them came crashing down and braced themselves for impact...But it never came. Then, they disappeared in to the glowing mist as the ancient temple began to crumble.

Outside Professor Charles Xavier watched in horror as the strange red light shooting from the top of the pyramid changed in to bright blue. Shaking in the Earth could be felt as he watched the temple of the Phoenix fall apart.

'Everybody, are you okay? Logan, Ororo, anybody?' said the Professor frantically through his psychic powers.

Then, a mysterious haze formed before him. He still couldn't sense anybody...But then as the haze cleared, the rest of the X-men appeared along with Slayer. They were tired, battered, and physically drained...But they were okay. However, one of them was missing...

Then, everybody looked back at the crumbling temple, as if to hope Scott and Jean would come running out of it any second...But then something else happened. In a brilliant flash of blue light, the ancient pyramid exploded with a loud bang. The explosion was so bright the team had to shield their eyes from it. Where once a great and magnificent pyramid stood, now was merely a large pile of rubble. However, it was not over...

"Mien Gott..." said Kurt along with collective gasps from the others as they watched the sky.

The blue flames that had overtaken the dark red ones now transferred back to a golden yellow that had been the true color of the Phoenix all those eons ago. Vast swirls of light streamed majestically through the sky as if it were stretching after being confined for so long. Through all this beauty of the now pure Phoenix...The team remembered their leader and friend. He was not present and they all now feared the worst.

"Slayer...Did Scott...Is he..." began Ororo, however she was unable to finish.

All eyes were now on the mutant warrior, who simply bowed his head in sorrow for he had seen it all unfold right before his very eyes.

"He made his choice...He chose the path of the heart," said Slayer, for that's all he could say.

Tears began to form in the eyes of the X-men as the mutant warrior confirmed their greatest fear...Scott Summers was dead. He had given his life to save those of his friends. Scott, who had been like a big brother to them all, was now gone for good. They had survived the horrors of living on the streets with him. If it hadn't been for him, they probably wouldn't have found each other in the first place. He was so much more than a leader to them in the short time they had been X-men. They had been closer than any family through all the bad times...Only to have it end like this.

"Then he did it...He followed the legend," said Logan who tried to hide his own feelings of remorse.

"Yes..." replied Slayer. "The spell over the ancient Phoenix is broken now and forever...All because of the power of the heart. You've all helped save countless lives from a great and powerful evil...But I'm sorry it had to come at such a terrible price."

Nobody could fight their tears anymore. They had just lost a friend, a leader, and a brother and there was nothing they could have done about it. Professor Xavier was at a total loss for words. He couldn't believe that something like this had happened to the students he had vowed to protect. He had always believed that the power of mutants could be used to save lives...But in the end it wasn't mutant powers that had stopped the Phoenix...It was love. The beauty of the flames in the sky could not ease the pain of their loss. Then, as the death of their friend and leader sank in, another presence came back to life in the skies over the rubble.

* * *

Through all fires and swirls above...A lone figure slowly descended from the bowels of the flames and landed softly in the center clearing that had once been the great temple of the Phoenix. It was the tired, nearly unconscious body of Jean Grey. There was no more dark entity within her...Just her own flesh and blood. Slowly but surely, she regained consciousness as the golden fires above her continued to swirl and shine. Her muscles ached and her head was sore...But she was alive. She had survived being possessed by an ancient dark deity. However, as soon as she recovered her strength, she felt that something was still missing.

As her vision cleared she looked around her. Then, she realized in horror that the soft buzz inside her mind that had been the mind link that she shared with Scott...Was gone. It had completely vanished. It was as if a part of her very being had disappeared. Frantically, she searched in vain through the recesses of her mind for any traces of Scott.

'Scott! Where are you? Scott?' but to no avail.

She could find nothing...It was as if he didn't exist. Tears then began to well up in her eyes as the images of the final moments of Dark Phoenix echoed back in her mind. She remembered all the fire...The hate...The sacrifice. It crashed upon her in a mountain of sorrow as she remembered Scott's final living act to save her. He had helped her overcome and suppress it...Then he had been the one to destroy it...And set her free. She remembered the song...His tender words...And everything else that led to his ultimate fate. Jean didn't want to believe it...She didn't want to accept it. After all they had been through in their traumatic lives and after they had finally found love and happiness with each other...He was gone.

Then, in a pile of rubble off to the side...Jean saw a body covered in debris...Lying motionlessly on the ground.

"Oh my God...No..." said Jean in a hoarse voice as she slowly made her way over to the body.

She knelt down as she cleared some of the rocks off him and saw her greatest fear confirmed. Jean Grey simply froze in shock as she looked at the dead body that had once been her friend and lover...Scott Summers. She was paralyzed...For he was truly gone now...Gone forever. Slowly, she ran her hand softly down his face and felt herself choked up by waves of sorrow. His body was now cold and stiff...And there was no more link between them, for it had died with him.

"Scott...Wake up...Please don't leave me...Please don't go..." Jean's voice was barely audible as she was overcome with grief.

She felt sick inside...She had just lost her soul mate. He had willingly given his life to save hers. It hurt...For what was done couldn't be undone. The dead body of her best friend offered no comfort to her feelings of remorse as she finally collapsed and cried a river of tears.

Even the beauty of the golden flames of the now purified Phoenix above her couldn't erase the pain that would never go away. Jean had never had anything good happen to her in her life up until she met Scott. Her life before him had been an endless streak of pain, beatings, and rapes. Then, when she met Scott, she had someone that helped her in more ways than she ever thought possible. They were more then just friends...They were soul mates. She never wanted to live life without Scott by her side...But now he was really gone. After everything they had lived through, he was dead...And part of herself had died with him.

"Goodbye Scott..." sobbed Jean as she kept crying in to the dead body before her, "Thank you...For saving me. Thank you...For being there for me...For helping me...For loving me. I'm so sorry all this had to happen...I'm sorry...I. I'll always love you...Even in death...I'll never stop loving you...Goodbye."

With that...She placed a final soft kiss on Scott's cold forehead, for it was better to kiss Scott Summers dead then not kiss him at all now that he was gone. The endless sobs for such a painful loss only made her feel worse inside. He did this because of her...And she didn't know if she could live with such guilt. But then she remembered Scott's final words to her...Be strong and have faith. That would be hard without him...But they were his final wishes and she would not break them. Then, as tears were still streaming down her face...Something happened in the skies above them.

The swirling fires that now embodied the pure, uncorrupted Phoenix gathered above where the temple once stood. The light grew brighter as every holy ember began to converge in to one. Finally, with a mighty roar the once and future Phoenix took shape and the powerful entity was whole once more.

"Freedom..." echoed the divine voice that filtered through all the minds of the X-men.

It was free once more...And no spell of darkness was there to corrupt it. The purity, light, and warmth of holy bird now burned brighter than ever from the ashes of its former self. Its golden embers now littered the sky with unmatched beauty. Then, as it soared majestically over the land below it...Two bright, beautiful flames descended from the body of the Phoenix and hovered towards the two beings that had freed it from the terrible ancient spell that had bought suffering to so many. The keeper and the savior had subdued the most evil force imaginable...And for that, the ancient powerful deity was eternally grateful. And like Scott Summers...It had made a choice of its own.

As the two golden flames descended down further...Another rain of golden embers fell upon the land. Flowers bloomed, dead plants came back to life, and the air itself seemed to be purified. The rain of sparkles both mystified and enchanted the group of only witnesses to such a divine act beauty. Then, the two large golden flames that had been sent down by the holy bird slowed as they reached their destination. Slowly, they hovered over Jean Grey and the body of Scott Summers. Jean could only look back at them in awe as they started to move once again. The flames were gentle and warm...A far cry from the malevolent fires of the Dark Phoenix. Then finally...The golden flames entered the bodies of the two beings that had saved the Phoenix. Each one of them gave off a strange golden glow as the fires merged with their bodies and the warmth from it spread. Jean didn't know what had just happened, but whatever that fire was...It had performed a miracle.

Suddenly, a faint voice could be heard in the recesses of her mind.

'Jean...'

A warm feeling came over her mind as the glow from the embers that had merged with them subsided. Suddenly, she felt a part of her mind begin to buzz with a warm sensation. It was the familiar feeling of her special link with Scott. But that was impossible. He was dead...Wasn't he?

Jean watched in silent amazement as the glow around Scott(s body subsided. Then, she felt life once again return to the once dead body.

"Oh my God..." said Jean in amazement.

Now she was paralyzed by what had just happened. All she could do was watch as short, shallow breaths returned to the body of Scott Summers and his mind once again became active. Slowly, Jean ran her fingers down the side of his face to feel his skin warm once more. The gentle feeling in her mind had returned and it was stronger than ever. The mind link was back, he was breathing again...He was alive. He had left this world, but then returned. Then, she soon felt Scott's eyes upon her as her tears of sorrow became tears of joy.

"Am I dead? Jean...Is that really you?" said Scott in a weak voice.

Jean just smiled brilliantly as Scott looked up and saw her heavenly face among the golden fires of the Phoenix in the sky. He felt as if maybe he had died...And she was an angel.

"No...It's okay Scott," said Jean softly as she caressed his cheek, "Everything's going to be okay."

It was then that Scott knew that this was real. Those simple words...The very same words he had heard in that very special dream many years ago...Confirmed that this was life, not death. It was then he finally knew what that dream meant after all these years. It was him being with Jean...The one who Scott had always considered nothing less of an angel who had saved his soul in his darkest hour. In a way, he had known her before he had even met her. It was something truly special, for even death couldn't bypass true feelings of friendship and love. Now their minds were linked in the deepest of ways now and forever.

"Are you okay?" asked Scott softly as he gradually felt his strength returning to him, "Did it work? Are you free from the Phoenix?"

"Don't worry, it worked Scott. You saved me...You saved all those people...You saved us all. You saved us and were willing to die for it. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you for this..." said Jean with her words thick with emotion and her eyes moist from the overwhelming feelings of joy she now felt in the comforting presence of her lover.

Scott simply put his hand on her shoulder and slowly ran it up towards her face. His gentle caress soothed her soul, for he was there...He was with her. He didn't leave her. Her happiness could not be described with words as Scott simply smiled back at her.

"You don't have to thank me Jean...I had to save you. Even if it meant me dying...I just don't think I could ever live in a world without you...Because you are my world. You are, and always have been, everything to me. You were there for me when no one else was...And I was there for you. We were there for each other...Even when things were at their worst we were there for each other. And I just want you to always remember that...I love you Jean...I really do love you more than I can ever describe with words."

Jean didn't fight her tears this time. Instead, she just buried her face in his shoulder and cried her heart out. But it was of happiness, not sorrow. Scott could only wrap his arms around her and hold her close to him. They had survived terrible lives together, and through it their bond grew stronger. And now that they had survived the Phoenix, it was clearer than ever that the love that had grown so strong between Scott Summers and Jean Grey would never be broken.

"I love you too Scott...I love you so much..."

Jean could no long speak with words, for her voice was too choked up to continue. Soon, actions replaced those words as their lips drew together in a soft, loving kiss as the sparkling embers from the Phoenix seemed to glow brighter around them.

* * *

Back up with the rest of the group, tears of sadness still ran deep as they felt the pain of losing their friend. However, as the embers around them fell...A strange feeling came across the Professor's mind. Slayer seemed to feel it as well through the all-seeing eye. Then, the letter that Scott had given to the Professor to give to Jean after all this was over suddenly dissolved in to a glowing yellow dust. The others began to look at the Professor's expression with a great deal of curiosity, as his face seemed to light up like the sun. 

"Charles..." said Ororo, but he soon answered before she could even ask her question.

"He's alive...Scott's alive," said Charles in amazement as he sensed the young man(s presence once again.

"What...But that's impossible...It..." Logan couldn't believe what he was hearing and neither could the others.

The glowing embers around them seemed to get brighter as a new feeling settled over them and the despair faded.

"It's true..." confirmed Slayer with a light smile as he looked back towards where Scott and Jean were.

Sad looks on the faces of the X-men were replaced with happy ones as a wave of relief swept over them, for their friend was not dead...He hadn't left them.

"But...How?" said Hank in disbelief.

The mutant warrior just smiled back and then turned his attention to the sky above where the majestic Phoenix was still soaring brilliantly through the heavens.

"Scott made a choice. But apparently...So did the Phoenix. The legend never spoke of such things...But even I have forgotten that legends never tell the full story. In the end...It is up to those who are a part of those legends to make the choices that affect the outcome."

The mutant warrior was at a loss for further words as the others let the miracle they had just witnessed sink in. Time had been against them...Divine forces had been against them...Yet they had triumphed. While Slayer still didn't believe in fate, he couldn't help but smile at how things worked themselves out.

In the skies above them, the pure Phoenix took its true bird form for the first time. It let out great cries of joy, for it was finally free. All the power that Dark Phoenix had possessed could not equate to the power of freedom. Nothing bound the holy bird anymore. No dark spells or evil cult tainted its purity. It continued to fly through the evening sky over the heads of the group of special souls that had saved it. And for that...The powerful deity was eternally grateful.

"Vhat's it doing now?" asked Kurt as he and the others just looked up at brilliant light show in awe.

Slayer just smiled as he soon became equally enticed by such beauty that so few had witnessed over the vast recesses of time and space. The rest of the X-men seemed equally enticed by the scene before them. Their sorrow had reverted to joy by the touch of a living god.

"It's thanking us," said Slayer simply as he looked on.

"Any idea how to say yer welcome?" said Logan with a grin.

"Don't worry...It knows," said the mutant warrior with a smile as the golden embers that fell around them glowed brighter.

With one last roar in to the sky, the Phoenix began to ascend in to the heavens...Leaving a trail of golden embers behind to fall to the Earth below. It was free now...And that freedom would not be taken for granted anymore.

"So where's it gonna go now?" asked Kitty as she felt Kurt's gentle arm around her as she and the rest of her friends watched the Phoenix fly off ever farther away.

"It's going back to where all gods belong...The stars," said Slayer as he watched the holy bird go.

Through this brilliant show of beauty, the two souls that had set the Phoenix free, the keeper and the savior, stayed in a passionate embrace...Thankful to have each other back. Scott Summers and Jean Grey had survived the worst of the worst and still their bond of friendship and love never faltered. And it promised to remain solid and pure forever as they stayed and kissed under the blessed holy embers of the fires of the Phoenix.

* * *

Upon returning to the mansion in a jubilant triumph, there still remained one more issue that had to be addressed. 

"Do you really have to leave Slayer? Even after everything that's happened?" asked Scott as he and the others stood near the gates of the mansion where the one who had helped save them all stood ready to leave just as suddenly as he had appeared.

The mutant warrior was no longer in his traditional armor. He wore normal street cloths now simply stood before the grateful group of mutants that he had helped so much.

"I'm sorry Scott...But I must leave. I can't stay here," said Slayer as he smiled at his newfound friends and allies.

"Come on man!" said Evan who shared everyone's desire not to see this stranger turned friend go, "You'd be a perfect addition to the team."

"Yes, I think I speak for all of us when I say, we would like you to stay," said the Professor hoping the mutant warrior would accept his offer. "You fight to uphold the very same principles that this institute was founded upon. We could use someone like you for future students."

"Ja, and you've just GOT to teach us some of those cool moves you showed us back there!"

exclaimed Kurt as he poorly tried to mimic some of Slayers fighting moves that he saw back at the temple.

As good an offer it was, the mutant warrior still could not accept it. He could only shake his head and grinned.

"I'm sorry...But I just don't belong here."

"What makes you say that?" asked Ororo.

"I am a warrior...You are students, whose paths are open to so many opportunities to help others like us who feel the burden of our own souls. You have your place here...And I dare not intrude upon it."

The X-men were greatly disappointed by Slayer's response, for they really did want him to join. He had shown his sincerity towards helping them on numerous occasions and they sought to return the favor, but it appeared that it wouldn't be necessary.

"Come on bub, I know we kinda got off to a rocky start. But after everything you've done to help us the least we can do is..." but Logan was soon cut off once more as Slayer gave his reasons for his choice.

"I don't require any payment for that which I have done. If I wanted to be rewarded for my actions...Well, that wouldn't make me much of a warrior now would it? The honor alone is more than enough reward for me. But if you wish to repay me...Then I ask only one thing of you."

"Name it," said Jean, who felt greatly indebted to this man who had helped save her from the Phoenix.

"Don't ever let yourselves be ruled by things like fate...Because those who believe it...Become victims of it. You all must never forget that which you have been blessed with. It's like I said before...You have the power, it's just a matter of how you use it."

Scott couldn't help but smile at those words. They were the very same ones spoken to him when he was struggling to make a choice about saving Jean. In the end it was those words that helped him make the right one...And it saved both him and Jean. There was no price that could be put on such a gift.

"So I guess this is goodbye..." said Rogue as she and the rest of the team showed their disappointment over Slayer's decision.

"I guess so," replied the mutant warrior.

"Will we ever see you again?" asked Kitty with a hopeful tone.

Slayer just smiled back.

"Don't be at all surprised if you do."

That helped and got the others to smile back as well.

"Well then...I wish you the best Slayer," said Professor Xavier as he extended his hand as a token of peace.

"And I wish the best for you and your dream as well Professor Xavier..." said the mutant warrior as he shook the Professor's hand.

And with that, the gates opened and the powerful mutant began to make his way out in to the night. However, there was one last thing on the minds of the X-men.

"Slayer..." said Scott, stopping the mutant warrior cold in his tracks. "What about the future? You said you can determine it from what you see. How does it look? Do you know what's in store for us?"

The mutant warrior just shook his head and laughed.

"Don't have a clue...The future has become completely ambiguous and unclear for anybody to see. And that's exactly the way it ought to be. Now, you have the ability to make your own future...So make it a good one. Peace."

And with that, a mysterious mist enveloped the mutant warrior and he gradually faded from sight. The X-men waved goodbye to their new friend and ally and he waved back. Hopefully, their paths would cross again, but just like Slayer said...The future is unclear, and anything can happen.

* * *

That night, everyone celebrated the triumph over Dark Phoenix. They had come so close to seeing two of their friends die...But they stayed united. And in the end, Scott and Jean found an even deeper bond with each other. They finally could enjoy the love they had discovered and be happy once more. The Phoenix had come so close to tearing them apart. Yet, their love stayed true and in the end it saved them and countless others. Now, they had a chance to make a new future...And no matter what happened, one thing stayed clear. They would face their future together. As the hours ticked by and fatigue set in, Scott played a special song on his guitar. It was a song that symbolized so many things from his feelings for Jean to the bond the X-men shared. As Scott played and the others listened, there remained little doubt as to the future that awaited them.

Later, Scott and Jean fell asleep in each other's arms. It had been a long, hard road to get to where they were now...But it was worth it. With everything that had happened and everything that had yet happen, their love stayed true. And they wouldn't let anything taint it for as long as they had the power that they gave each other. Their mind link was strong and their bond was deep. It was something that transcended all boundaries. They slept with smiles on their faces as they began to have a dream...But this dream was different than the ones they had before. This was not an omen or a warning...It was something else. In the dream, Scott and Jean found themselves standing over a majestic cliff overlooking the beautiful night sky. They both held hands and watched as the stars shined brightly in the velvet sky. There was no running or fear...Just a beautiful scene to behold. Through it...I golden halo of fire streaked across the sky above them, riddling the air around them with golden embers. It was the Phoenix and it had come to them once more. They were still the keeper and the savior. There would always be a little bit of the Phoenix left within their souls now and forever more. They deserved as much after all they had done to free it. Scott and Jean couldn't help but smile as their grip on each other grew stronger as they waved at the holy Phoenix as it flew away once more. As if flew, the Phoenix portrayed a single thought back to the two kindred souls that had saved it.

'Thank you Scott Summers and Jean Grey...Thank you.'

* * *

AN: Well, there you have it! My take on the saga of the Phoenix! What'd you all think? I know some of you will hate me for making it a bit sappy, but I just felt it was necessary for this story. What about Slayer? What are your thoughts on him? If you like him, I may put him in another story! And don't think this story is over just yet! There is still one last part to tell, the "Day of Reckoning" part. See what happens when mutants are exposed to the world and how it affects the team. Stay tuned to find out! Also, don't forget to REVIEW! Send them to me at or post them on Well, that's all for now and until next time best wishes to you all!

DON'T DELAY! REVIEW TODAY!


	33. Day of Reckoning

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 32: Day of Reckoning  
**

* * *

AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "Day of Reckoning" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
But first...A quick word from me to my reviewers!  
  
Star-of-Chaos: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you liked it!  
  
SHAWN PROVONCHA: Thanks for reviewing, I'm honored that you thought the last chapter was so great!  
  
Reddfire: Too bad you won't have a chapter of your story up sooner. I'm kind of eager to know what happens! Thanks for reading my story though. I'm glad you liked my Phoenix Saga, but I doubt it will ever be made in to a movie...Oh well. Thanks for your feedback my friend!  
  
Sentoris: I'm honored that you liked my Phoenix Saga. It took the most effort on my part in making this story because I had to do some background research and create a whole new character as well. As for the rest of this story, I'm sorry to say that it won't go on forever. It will end at some point. However, I do have another story in the works as we speak! If you liked this story, I think you like what I have in store! Thanks for reviewing and if you want more info on the new story, email me to find out!  
  
Agent-G: Thanks for minding the 'sap.' But I'm sure there are some people who didn't like the sappiness of the last chapter...But that's their problem! And I'm glad you liked Slayer! It really means a lot to me because he is my own creation. If you like him, I plan to put him in another story in the near future! As for some other mutants...Well, you'll just have to wait and see! I hope you like it! Oh, and sorry I haven't been able to read any of your stories lately. I've just been so busy working on this one and with school and my job. But I'll get around to it! Thanks again!  
  
Enchantedlight: Thanks for the review! And don't worry, Rogue will meet Remy in this story! But I don't think I'll have time to go any further than that. Sorry! Thanks again!  
  
Oceanbang: Thanks and I'm glad you didn't think the last chapter was too sappy. That was one of my main concerns, but you have helped but that fear to rest my friend! I'm honored that you think I have skill and it really means a lot to me that you acknowledge that. I'm glad you liked Slayer! He'll be in another story after this one so if you want to learn more about him (And believe me there's plenty to learn) stay tuned for my next story!  
  
Quill of Molliemon: I'm glad you liked my story even though you're not a jott fan. It's good to see that my story has broader appeal. And I'm glad you liked Slayer! He will be in another story after this one and in that story I will reveal more about him and his past. So stay tuned! And I hope you like my take on the "Day of Reckoning!"  
  
MysticJunebugs: I'm glad you loved my story! I'm happy to see that it stood out in your search. It is also a big relief to see that the ending to my Phoenix Saga wasn't overly sappy in the eyes of everybody. Thanks again, and be on the look out for more stories of mine in the near future!  
  
ASGT: Hey! I'm glad you can still be online even in Colorado. Have fun over there my friend! And thanks for reviewing!  
  
IcyLeo: I'm glad you liked my Phoenix Saga! As for the part with Slayer being unbelievable, I just wanted to do something different after reading about the Phoenix. Sorry if it confused you, but I'm glad it came together in the end. As for Day of Reckoning, I can't exactly say if it's going to be the end...But this story will end sooner or later. I do have other stories in the works that I'm eager to write and unfortunately, ever story must have an ending at some point. Thanks for referring this fic to a friend! And thanks for your feedback!  
  
Megaroony: I'm glad you like this story! You and IcyLeo have given me wonderful feedback. As for the thing about the earlier chapters of there being abusive fathers, read on and you'll find Kurt had an abusive aunt, Evan had an abusive mother (and so did Jean, but she died and her father was a bigger part of that abuse), and Rogue had and abusive foster mother. So it's not all fathers here. Sorry if that offended you in any way, it was just too much of an important part of the story to leave out. Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked my story!  
  
Aimtbj: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for not calling it sappy. That was my biggest concern in writing it. Thanks for your kind words and I hope you enjoy the "Day of Reckoning" part!  
  
Random Reader: I'm so glad you liked my Phoenix Saga! I'm sorry if it upset you too much...But it had a happy ending in the end. As for the ending itself, I knew most of the Phoenix stories in the comics end in tragedy (and I think I mentioned that with the dark "future" Slayer spoke of) and I just thought that a lighter ending would be better for this story so it wasn't too angsty. And I'm glad you liked Slayer! I plan to put him in another story, where I'll explain more about him. However, I have to finish this story first! Enjoy my take on the "Day of Reckoning!"  
  
Darkness1: Ah my faithful friend, it's always a joy to hear from you! I'm glad you liked Slayer! He'll be in another story in the future if you want to learn more about him! And I'm glad that you approve of my use of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing." I just thought that song was too good not to use! Thanks again and have a great summer vacation yourself!  
  
Japanese Dragon: Yeah! You like my character! Thank you so much! I put a lot of thought in to him and he will be in another story if you want to know more about him. Thank you so much and I wish you the best my friend!  
  
KSimonT-X: I'm glad you like my story! And I'm honored that you liked my character, Slayer. He will be in another story, so if you want to know more about him...Stay tuned! Thanks again and best wishes to you!  
  
Wen: Yeah! You know you always deserve an honorable mention my friend! I hope you liked my Phoenix Saga and I hope you like this!  
  
Well, that's all of them! Enjoy!

* * *

"Please, contact us sometime if you wish to see the institute," said Ororo as she handed the Drake family a business card for the Xavier institute.  
  
"Yeah sure, whatever lady. Just get the hell off my property," said Mr. Drake in an irritated tone.  
  
Ororo then left along with Scott, Jean, and Evan who had come with her on a recruiting mission. They were trying to convince the parents of young Bobby Drake that he was a mutant and not sick...But they didn't believe them. In fact, they hadn't heard the word freak spoken so many times since they were on the streets. It was a bitter disappointment as Ororo looked back up at the bedroom window of young Bobby and saw the scared and saddened look on his face. His parents didn't understand and neither did he.  
  
Over the past few weeks since the whole Phoenix incident, the Professor had been scouring new mutant readings across the country for potential new students. Cerebro had been going off on a regular basis now as the rate of mutant growth was accelerating. At any rate he knew that it would be all the more difficult to keep mutants under wraps.  
  
"Man, we've seriously got to work on a sales pitch Auntie O," said Evan as they returned to the newly acquired X-van. "At this rate we'll never get any new recruits."  
  
"We must have patience Evan. Right now mutants are just too hard for anybody to accept fully. Only time will tell," assured Ororo as she started up the X-van.  
  
"But still...They didn't have to be so rude back there," commented Scott as they drove off.  
  
"Yeah and they didn't have to project their thoughts so loudly," said Jean who heard their mental yelling for the whole time she was there.  
  
"How bad were they?" asked Scott wearily.  
  
"You don't wanna know," said Jean as she rested her head from all the terrible thoughts that the scared parents of Bobby Drake had projected to her.  
  
Scott helped her relax by gently holding her hand as the van started moving. Jean's control over her powers had never been stronger since her encounter with the Phoenix. However, she still heard other peoples' thoughts when they projected them loud enough. The Drakes were only the latest in a series of failed recruiting attempts. Every outcome had been the same thus far. None of the parents of the kids wanted to believe that their children were 'freaks.' In their minds they said much worse.  
  
"Hey you know what we should do?" said Evan who had been equally frustrated with these disastrous recruiting attempts, "We should make a theme song for the X-men?"  
  
"A theme song?" said Scott, unsure if he was joking or not.  
  
"Yeah man! You're a musician, you write great songs! You could write a sales pitch for the institute to get more students."  
  
Scott, Jean, and Ororo couldn't help but laugh at Evan's idea, even though it wasn't too far fetched.  
  
"Me write a theme song? I don't know man...But hey, it could work," said Scott.  
  
"I think it would definitely draw in some fresh faces. That and it would be better than dealing with jerks like the Drakes," added Evan.  
  
"They're not jerks Evan...Not completely," said Ororo, "They're just worried about their son and what's happening to him. They want the best for him and we need to be there if we're to help them fully understand."  
  
"Speaking of which, how do you think the Professor is fairing with those rich people, the Worthingtons?" asked Jean knowing the Professor went on a recruiting mission of his own.  
  
"Probably had the same outcome as we did," said Evan pessimistically.  
  
Ororo just shook her head at her nephew's attitude.  
  
"You never know Evan."

* * *

"Thanks for your time Mr. and Mrs. Worthington. If you do change your mind, however, please contact me," said Professor Xavier as he handed them a small card.  
  
Mrs. Worthington simply looked at the Professor coldly, wanting him to leave. However Mr. Worthington had been a bit more understanding and took the card.  
  
"We'll call you if something comes up Professor Xavier," said Mr. Worthington, "Our butler Jonathan will escort you out."  
  
"That's okay, I can wheel myself out," assured the Professor.  
  
"Please, I insist," said the butler as he forcibly wheeled him out before Charles could react.  
  
Xavier had come along only with Hank on this mission since Storm was off visiting the Drakes and Logan was investigating a strange sighting in New York City. Not wanting to upset the Worthingtons any more with his appearance, Hank opted to wait in the car.  
  
As the butler got closer to the exit, he suddenly stopped for reasons unknown.  
  
"Is something wrong?" asked Xavier.  
  
The butler just looked down at him with a sinister smile on his face.  
  
"Yes...But not for long."

* * *

"What could possibly be taking him so long?" said Beast to himself as his eyes drifted back towards the clock radio in the car once again.  
  
Just then, he saw the Professor wheel himself out up to the side of the car and Hank breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"How'd it go Charles?" asked Hank as he activated the mechanism to lift the Professor and his wheelchair up in to the car.  
  
"As expected," responded Xavier.  
  
"That good huh?" said Beast with a faint laugh.  
  
"Yes...But don't worry old friend. I'm sure things will change for the better soon..."

* * *

Through the dark and dirty sewers of New York City, Logan ran. He was in hot pursuit of his old rival Sabertooth. Apparently Cerebro was right again in tracking another mutant and the Professor had suspected that he might have ties to Magneto. The Brotherhood had been all too quiet for months now and it was vital to know how their plans.  
  
Logan sniffed the air, trying to filter out the foul sewers in search of his arch foe. Then, he finally got it and turned down the corner of a narrow tunnel. But when he got there, he saw Sabertooth just standing there with a sinister look in his cat-like face.  
  
"Enough games Sabertooth! I want some answers!" growled the Wolverine as he unsheathed his claws and prepared for battle.  
  
"And you'll get them...Soon enough," smirked Sabertooth in a deep voice.  
  
Suddenly, the metal in the room began to shake violently and metal grids blocking sewer tunnels were yanked out of the concrete by some unseen force. With a loud growl Logan began to slash through the metal as it attacked him. While he was preoccupied with this, Sabertooth disappeared back in to the shadows of the New York City sewers and watched what happened next. As Logan fought off the pieces of metal that seemed to have a mind of their own, several strange looking grenades fell at his feet. Then, the metal stopped attacking him and fell harmlessly to the floor and before Logan could react, a loud explosion erupted from the grenades and a powerful knockout gas filled the air. He fought hard to resist it, but he soon felt his world around him fade to black.  
  
No sooner had Logan fallen unconscious did nearly a dozen heavily armed men in strange military-like uniforms storm the area and secure Wolverine.  
  
"We got em boss! The freak is out for the count," said one of the lead men in to a communicator.  
  
"Excellent," said a sinister voice from the other side, "Bring him back to HQ. He will make a perfect test subject for our little experiment..."

* * *

Back at the Institute, the Professor stood by as Jean tried to use her powers to locate Logan after he went missing from New York. Jean had been learning how to use Cerebro for weeks now, but she still struggled to find what they were searching for.  
  
"I...Can't find anything Professor. Not Logan, not Sabertooth...Nothing. It's as if they just disappeared," said Jean as she removed the helmet.  
  
Xavier let out a frustrated sigh as yet another attempt had failed.  
  
"We have to keep searching! Without Sabertooth we'll never find Magneto!"  
  
"What about Logan?" asked Jean as she put the helmet down.  
  
"Something tells me that when we find Magneto...We'll find Logan as well," replied the Professor.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Jean as she was about to leave.  
  
"I'm certain we will," said the Professor as he ran through Cerebro's readings once more.  
  
Jean the stepped out of the massive steel chamber and went to meet Scott who was upstairs in the library doing homework.  
  
"Any luck?" asked Scott as put his books down.  
  
"Nope...None," sighed Jean as she sat on the couch and rested her tired head against his shoulder. "We couldn't find a trace of Logan or Sabertooth."  
  
"Sounds like it's gotten the Professor really upset," added Scott.  
  
"Yeah...It has. I've never seen him so angry before. The stress must really be hard on him," said Jean as she let out a tired yawn.  
  
"Yeah...It must," said Scott as he leaned back against the couch with Jean and tried to put their worries to rest for the time being.

* * *

Back at the Brotherhood house, the five mutant members lazily lofted about the rapidly decaying house. Mystique had disappeared after the events concerning Asteroid M and so had Magneto. They were left with no supervision and no source of income...A bad mixture for a bunch of rag-tag mutant teenagers.  
  
"Man Toad would you turn that damn thing down! I can hear it from my room!" yelled Wanda from the base of the staircase.  
  
"Hey sorry my crimson cutie, but I can't help it if these walls are paper thin," replied Todd as he flipped mindlessly through the channels on the old, beat up TV.  
  
"Just turn the fucking thing down!" grunted Pietro, who didn't want to see his sister go off on another hexing rampage that would end up making the house more condemned than it already was.  
  
Lance just sat there silently, but noticeably irked. He had been the grumpiest over the past few months since his bad breakup with Kitty. Now he hated going out and seeing her so happy and lovey-dovey with Kurt. On top of all this the rest of the Brotherhood teased him to no end about the incident that he desperately wanted to forget. They sat in their traditional grumpy state of minds, when suddenly the door was kicked open by a familiar presence.  
  
"Guess whose back!" said Mystique as she stormed in to her crumbling house.  
  
"What the?" said Lance as he got up with the others and approached the shape shifter after her long time absence, "Where the hell have you been?!"  
  
"That doesn't concern you at this moment Mr. Alvers. Now everybody gather round and listen up! We have some new plans to go over. I've been watching lately and I can see that some of you may still be itching for a little payback against the X-men."  
  
Mystiques gaze drifted towards Lance, whom she knew would want revenge the most over the X-men after what had happened with him and Kitty.  
  
"We're listening..." said Lance, who quickly grew eager to know more.  
  
"Does this mean dear old dad is back?" added Pietro as he too grew more intrigued.  
  
"All you need to know is that the X-men's days will be numbered when all this is over...And you all had best be ready for everything that is to come!" replied Mystique with a sinister grin.

* * *

Evan grunted as he exited the danger room with his uniform covered in paintball stains. He met up with Kitty who, despite her phasing powers, was equally hit with the new training programs that the Professor had them running through for the last hour.  
  
"Man I'll never get these stains off my uniform," said Evan as he went over to the observation area with Kitty.  
  
"Speak for yourself...At least you lasted longer than I did," said Kitty who was equally irked by this new danger room simulation.  
  
Back up in the main computer room the Professor watched his student run through the difficult simulation that he had programmed recently. Ororo was there too as she wearily looked down at the four remaining teens on the course.  
  
"We're trapped!" said Rogue in a frustrated tone as she narrowly dodged another barrage of paintballs from a flying turret.  
  
"Not for long!" said Scott as he blasted one of the turrets that had been closing fast, "Jean, can you keep the shields up?"  
  
"I'm...Trying," grunted Jean as more paintballs came from all directions, "Too...Many of them!"  
  
"I'll get us out!" said Kurt as he grabbed his friends and ported them to another section of the simulation, however this soon turned out to be a mistake.  
  
When they appeared, they were in an area with little cover from other marauding paintball guns and scrambled to avoid them. Just then, they noticed a lone figure standing on a rock formation in the distance.  
  
"There he is!" yelled Rogue as she immediately identified it as their target Magneto.  
  
"I'm on it!" said Scott as he sent a powerful optic blast to the figure.  
  
However, their actions backfired as the target disappeared in a wavy light.  
  
"Vhat? A hologram?!" said Kurt who seemed just as surprised as the rest of the remaining group.  
  
Then, three flying turrets arose from where the fake target had been and sent a barrage of paintballs towards the four mutant teens. This time they could not be avoided and the simulation came to an abrupt end.  
  
"I want to see you all in the control room immediately!" said the Professor angrily over the intercom.  
  
The rest of the team let out a collective sigh as they made their way up to the main control room, anticipating the harsh lecture they would probably receive. Professor Xavier had been unusually upset lately since Logan's disappearance. In addition, signs that Magneto was back and planning something big were beginning to surface. This was quite a disturbing revelation knowing what Magneto and Mystique did last time with Asteroid M. Now they could only imagine the kind of treachery he was planning now that he was back.  
  
"What gives Professor? You've never driven us this hard!" said Scott upon entering the main control room with the others.  
  
"You need to be prepared! We can't afford any slip-ups with Magneto out there! We don't want a repeat of what happened last time!" stated the Professor with a strong sense of urgency in his voice.  
  
"But I thought we won last time even despite that," reasoned Rogue as she picked off globs of paint that had collected on her uniform.  
  
"You were lucky last time...Don't expect that same luck next time because I'm sure Magneto won't allow it. I know him and he won't make the same mistakes twice," retorted the Professor. "Now, let's try the simulation again. This time, no mistakes!"  
  
The rest of the students didn't argue as they prepared to make their way back to the Danger Room for what promised to be an even harder simulation than before. But before they could leave, Beast came in through the elevator with urgent news.  
  
"Charles, we've found something!" exclaimed Hank.  
  
"Did ya find Logan?" asked Rogue, who had also been quite worried by Logan's disappearance.  
  
"Not exactly, but I did detect an unusually high amount of magnetic interference located near the harbors in New York City."  
  
"That has to be Magneto...Prep the X-jet. We'd better go down there and investigate," ordered the Professor.  
  
"Wait...Shouldn't we look in to this a bit more before going? You said it yourself, Magneto's very cunning when it comes to stealth. How do we know this isn't just a trap?" reasoned Ororo who didn't like the sound of this new finding one bit.  
  
"We don't have time Storm! If we don't act now then we may never find him!" said the Professor as he wheeled himself off to the hanger with Hank's help. "We must go now!"  
  
While the X-jet was being prepped, the rest of the team went to change in to their spare uniforms since the ones they were wearing were completely stained with paintballs. However, anxiety over this new threat by Magneto ran high among the six teens.  
  
"Man, vhat's gotten in to the Professor?" said Kurt as he looked back towards where he had been, "I've never seen him like this."  
  
"That's putting it mildly," replied Kitty, "I guess when it involves Magneto anything goes."  
  
"Yeah...But still," said Scott, who seemed lost in thought.  
  
"What is it Scott?" asked Jean who could sense Scott's anxiety through their mind link.  
  
Scott didn't respond at first, he was still thinking. However, there wasn't a lot of time left to think...Not with Magneto on the loose.  
  
"Nothing...I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing."  
  
"What do you mean man?" asked Evan curiously.  
  
Scott then thought back to some of the things the Professor said and could only speculate any further conclusions.  
  
"Call it a hunch."

* * *

In a deserted area near the New York City docks in the shadows of the tall buildings of the city skyline, a cluster of metallic spheres descended from the sky and gently set themselves down upon the hard ground. As they opened three familiar figures stepped out poised for battle. Lance "Avalanche" Alvers, Todd "Toad" Tolensky, and Freddy "Blob" Dukes were all there, however they had more help this time.  
  
Out of one sphere stepped the wild animal-like mutant Sabertooth. He let out a single roar as he escaped from his confinement, ready for battle. From another sphere, a strangely dressed man with red hair and a large metallic apparatus on his back stepped out in a blaze of fire. He was the Australian pyromaniac named St. John Allerdyce, AKA Pyro. From another metallic sphere a large muscular man with short black hair stepped out. Suddenly, his skin reverted from flesh to a solid metallic metal. He was the Russian born mutant Piotr Rasputin, AKA Collosus. Last but not least out of these newcomers was tall, brown-haired mutant with black and red eyes. He was casually shuffling a flaming deck of playing cards and wielded a large, white bow. He was the ragin' Cajun himself Remy LeBeau, AKA Gambit.  
  
All seemed poised for battle as they stood by and waited for their enemies to arrive. Confidence among them ran high, for they already knew Magneto's plan...And they were ready to watch it unfold before their very eyes. As for Magneto himself, he stood at the top of a building overseeing the battleground in the distance. At his sides were his two children, Wanda and Pietro.  
  
"How much longer before they get here?" asked Wanda as she stared intently at the harbor.  
  
"Do not concern yourself with that Wanda. So far everything has been going exactly as planned," said Magneto ominously.  
  
Pietro looked all too content with what he knew was bound to happen. He couldn't wipe that snide grin off his face as the thought of finally getting revenge on the X-men hung heavy in his mind.  
  
"This is gonna be a day those X-geeks will never forget!" laughed the speedster as they awaited their arrival.

* * *

Logan felt his head spinning and his vision blur as he slowly regained consciousness. His memory was a little fuzzy, but he knew enough to realize that he was not in a very friendly place. He was being secured on a heavy metal table with tough metallic shackles on all four of his limbs. He let out an angry growl as he tried to break them, but to no avail. There were numerous men and women around him wearing strange uniforms. They all had high powered weapons aimed right at him, but that didn't seem register in the Wolverine's mind. Then, a new presence entered the room and made his way towards the side of the bound mutant.  
  
"So you're the one they call Wolverine," said the man with a snide expression.  
  
"What's it to ya bub?" grunted Logan as he felt an immediate distaste for this new presence.  
  
"Name's Trask freak! And congratulations...You are to be the first test subject of a little experiment that we've been working on."  
  
"Not interested asshole!" responded Logan as he struggled with the chains again.  
  
"You don't have a choice mutant! I know all about you and your kind! Mutants are the poison in the human gene pool. They corrupt and endanger the rest of the human race with their so-called 'talents.' Well we, the Friends of Humanity, are the agents of purity against this horrible threat to civilization," said Trask as he looked down upon the bound mutant with disgust.  
  
"Great...Fanatics," grunted Logan.  
  
"SHUT UP MUTANT!" yelled Trask as he threatened to punch him, but one of his men held him back. "Like it or not, you will be the first...But not the last to witness the new soldiers for humanity. Your days are numbered and so are the rest of all the freaks out there who threaten society!"  
  
"Yer fucking crazy Trask!" said Logan as he tried once again to break the chains, but to no avail.  
  
"Say what you will 'Wolverine.' The Friends of Humanity will not stand by ideally and let the human race be wiped out by freaks like you! Now, let's see how such a prominent mutant such as yourself stands up to the best of what humanity has to offer..."  
  
Trask then signaled everybody to exit the room with him as he made his way up to the main control deck. As soon as the last soldier was gone, the chains were remotely unlocked. With an animal-like roar, Logan unsheathed his claws and attempted to cut through the thick steel door. However, it proved to be too heavily reinforced to cut through.  
  
Up in the control room, a vast array of computer terminals came to life as a group of scientists wearing the same uniforms as the soldiers prepared their 'test.'  
  
"Activate it...Begin sentinel test number one," said Trask as he looked back down at the trapped Logan.  
  
As Logan pulled his claws out again, two ominous red lights came from the other side of the room. However, they were more than just lights...They were eyes. Then, a strange rumble could be felt throughout the room that resembled that of footsteps. Logan remained unafraid as he prepared himself for battle. As the source of the shaking came in to the light, Logan finally got a good look at what he was up against.  
  
He was in the shadow of a massive robot humanoid. Its movements were fairly quick for it's massive size. It was as big as a small building and had numerous weapons hidden within. As its gaze locked itself on Wolverine, it's sensors kicked in.  
  
"Mutant target identified...Objective: Destroy."  
  
With it's powerful mechanical arm it tried to crush Logan with a powerful punch to the ground. He was able to avoid it, but it left a gaping hole in the concrete floor hinting at the machines awesome strength. Logan tried to jump on to the arm while it was buried within the ground and cut in to the wires beneath it with his claws, but the sentinel had strong armor and he couldn't cut through it before he was flung off to the side by the powerful machine.  
  
"Weapon system: Activate."  
  
Before Logan could attack again, two ominous looking cannons arose out of the arms of the massive robot and aimed them directly at him.  
  
"Oh shit," said Logan as he saw the size of these cannons.  
  
Then, in a powerful burst of laser light, the cannons fired. Logan struggled to avoid them as the room lit up with light from the blasts. The concrete in the floor was torn to shreds along with any other object that got in the way. Finally, there was nowhere left to hide as most objects in the room were reduced to twisted rubble. Dust filled the air as Logan disappeared from sight from the soldiers and scientists watching this spectacle unfold.  
  
Then, as the dust cleared, the sentinel robot identified the unconscious body of Wolverine on the hard, concrete floor.  
  
"Target immobilized. Objective: Destroy."

* * *

AN: That's it for now. Stay tuned for the next chapter if you want to see how "Day of Reckoning" pans out in this series! And PLEASE don't forget to review the story thus far! I have enjoyed writing it so much and I would greatly appreciate whatever feedback you, the readers, can provide. E-mail your comments to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Thanks for reading this far and best wishes to you all!  
  
HEY! YOU! REVIEW! 


	34. Day of Reckoning II

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 33: Day of Reckoning II  
**

* * *

AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "Day of Reckoning" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
But before we begin, a quick message to my reviewers!  
  
Enchantedlight: Sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter. Here is the update!  
  
Star-of-Chaos: I'm glad you like my take on "Day of Reckoning." I hope I don't screw up and I hope you like where I take it!  
  
Quill of Molliemon: Yeah, a lot has happened. Did you like the butler thing? One of the things that bothered me about the original "Day of Reckoning" is that it gave you no hints as to when Mystique replaced Xavier. But that's just me. Thanks for reviewing and enjoy!  
  
The maker: I know I use a lot of cliff-hangers, but I like to add suspense to my stories. I'm glad you like my AU and thanks for reviewing!  
  
IcyLeo: Sorry I couldn't introduce the whole of the new recruits, but I just couldn't work it in without compromising the plot. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like the rest of "Day of Reckoning!"  
  
Tori H: I know the Phoenix saga was a bit sappy, but I'm glad you still liked it. And I'm glad you like "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing!" I knew that song was perfect for the end of the Phoenix saga! As for the Angel thing, I changed that. Thanks for pointing it out!  
  
Random Reader: Always good to hear from you my friend! Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like my "Day of Reckoning" part. It's not over yet though! Enjoy!  
  
Darkness1: It's good to hear from you! I know the sentinels are always trouble, and this is no exception. As for the story, I'm sorry to say that there aren't that many chapters left. I don't know exactly how many parts are left, but it's not much. Sorry, but don't worry! I have another story already in the works! And if you want to see more Lance vs. Kurt action, read this chapter! I hope you like it!  
  
Agent-G: Oops! Sorry I didn't catch that! I changed it, so thanks for pointing that out!  
  
Sentoris: Ah my friend, thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you think my "Day of Reckoning" is on par with the original. One of my main concerns was that I didn't want people to think that I ruined the original. Thanks for putting my fears to rest! And no, sadly I don't work for Evo. I wish I did! I wish I could see some of my ideas animated. But as it is, I'll just have to make do with my writing. Thanks again man, and please keep in touch!  
  
Kaliann: I am in full support of Rogue/Remy, but I don't know if I'll be able to do it in this fic. Sorry, but they will meet! I promise you that!  
  
ASGT: Yes my friend, the Acolytes are here! No "Day of Reckoning" chapter would be complete without it! I hope you're enjoying Colorado! Peace out!  
  
Aimtbj: To answer your question, yes I do believe the Friends of Humanity was mentioned in Evolution. I remember because I've taped almost every episode! I know that sounds obsessive, but I just really like that show! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Ranndie Mazda: I'm glad you liked the ending of my Phoenix Saga. That was quite possibly the hardest part to write. I'm glad you're a Scott fan, he's one of my favorite characters too! As for writing a book, I don't know about that but for now...I'll just keep writing this! Thank you so much for thinking my writing is good! It really means a lot to me! I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Ryuu of the Broken Light: Nice new screen-name. I know the suspense is hard, but don't worry...I try to update as soon as possible. As long as people like you review, I will always have motivation to write faster. Thanks again and I hope you like my new chapter!  
  
Megaroony: I'm glad you think my story is captivating. It shows I can hold a reader's interest. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!  
  
Wen: Hey! Thanks for the comments! You know I always enjoy reading them! As always, you rock!  
  
Well, that's it for the reviews! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The large robot sentinel had Logan in its sights. It had a window to kill him right then and there...But then, something stopped it.  
  
"STOP!" said one of the main scientists, "That's enough, we have the data we need."  
  
Although Trask was noticeably disappointed that the test had been stopped before the sentinel could finish the job, he simply shrugged it off knowing that if the robot could easily take him down once...It could do it again.  
  
Trask signaled some of the soldiers present to go down and clean up some of the mess that had been created during this little 'test.' It left him only with the scientists who were monitoring some of the readings from the fight.  
  
"So what's the verdict? Do we have a valid weapon against mutants?" asked Trask in a dark tone.  
  
"Indeed we do sir. With this data we'll make a few quick adjustments and then no mutant will be able to stop our creation!" said the lead scientist.  
  
"Excellent...Make it happen."

* * *

Back at the institute, the mansion stood empty. The X-jet had long since left, but there was still activity deep within the walls of the institute. Down in the main control room where most of the Danger Room sessions were run, the computer mysteriously came to life with the loud sound of an alarm that echoed throughout the mansion.  
  
"Initiating level 5 lockdown."  
  
All over the institute, windows were locked down and thick steel plates covered every point of entrance and exit. Out of the ground came ominous looking turrets and defense guns. More and more security came to life throughout the institute as the incessant alarm refused to be silenced. Then, an ominous message appeared on the immense monitors of the main computer.  
  
"Security compromised. Final security levels activated. Institute will self destruct in 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..."

* * *

As the X-jet flew closer to its target destination in the vast harbors of New York City, they kept a firm watch over the magnetic interference that was their only clue towards Magneto.  
  
"Are we getting close?" asked Scott who was the one flying the plane.  
  
"We're almost there," said Beast as he looked at the monitor readings before him, "I think I've triangulated the source...Land over there in that clearing."  
  
As Scott swung the jet around for a landing run, tensions began to run high among X-men. This was especially true for Rogue, who was a lot closer to Logan than the rest of the group. Rogue had always sought solstice with him ever since he had found her in that dirty alley nearly a year ago. Ever since then Rogue often took it upon herself to worry about him whenever he ran off on his own. However, each time he had come back and assured her nothing was wrong. But now, the situation they were currently getting in to seemed all the more dangerous now that Magneto was involved.  
  
"Any signs of Logan yet?" asked Rogue intently as the plane began it's decent.  
  
"I'm afraid not Rogue. I still can't detect him with all this magnetic interference," said Beast with a sigh as he looked at the unclear readings grow even more scrambled.  
  
Rogue's hopes sank as she heard his words, but Kurt quickly reassured her.  
  
"Don't vorry Rogue. I'm sure Logan's all right."  
  
"Yeah, you know the guy. He can take care of himself," added Evan as the plane finally landed.  
  
"I hope so...I really hope so," said Rogue who still didn't feel too good about this whole situation.  
  
"We're here," said Scott as he turned off the engines on the X-jet. "Let's go."  
  
One by one, the X-men filed out of the jet and began to investigate the area. It was nearly deserted now, but they had to stay vigilant. No sooner had they gotten off the plane did a cluster of empty metal orbs come in to view on the far side of the harbor.  
  
"Looks like they've already been here," said Storm as they took a closer look.  
  
Kurt began to teleport on top of each sphere in order to observe the inside.  
  
"Nothing," he said as he stood atop the last empty sphere.  
  
As they took a closer look, Scott suddenly stopped.  
  
"What is it Scott?" asked Jean as he feverishly began to scan the area around them.  
  
"I thought heard something..."  
  
None of the team heard it, for they knew Scott's hearing was vastly better than anybody else there. However, they trusted Scott's senses as they started to look check the immediate area around them. Jean started scanning as well, and it wasn't long before she too detected many strange new readings.  
  
"This isn't right...This whole thing just isn't right," said Scott as he couldn't fight the ominous feelings of being watched.  
  
Before anybody could respond, a mysterious flaming card came floating down towards them.  
  
"Everybody move!" yelled Storm as the strange card landed and exploded like a mini bomb.  
  
Metal objects around the harbor began to shake and vibrate, hinting at who was there. The X-men scrambled, trying not to give Magneto too big of a target. However they were being watched from afar and every one of their actions could be seen. Suddenly, a strange fire erupted around them, coupled with a crazy laugh. Kurt and Kitty soon found themselves trapped within a ring of fire. As they looked up from the flames, they saw the source of the demented laughter.  
  
"Hey kiddies! Ready for a little barbecue? Courtesy of Magneto!" laughed Pyro as he controlled the intense flames around the two flabbergasted teens.  
  
"Who is this guy?" said Kitty as she struggled to avoid the flames.  
  
Just then, a familiar presence joined Pyro as the flames grew hotter. An ominous shaking began to rock the ground beneath them, hinting at who it was. Kurt immediately felt a new sense of anger come over him.  
  
"His name is Pyro...But he's the least of your worries now!" said Lance as he stepped in to plain sight of his two greatest enemies now.  
  
A small tremor was then felt and it got bigger with each passing second. However, Kurt would not let it get too big. He teleported out of the fiery entrapment and tackled Lance to the ground, stopping the shaking. The two immediately began to duke it out.  
  
"You've had this coming fuzz boy!" yelled Lance as he threw a punch at Kurt, but missed just barely.  
  
"Spare me you're revenge speech Lance, I von't let you vin!" responded Kurt as he fought back.  
  
"Too late blue boy...You've already lost," muttered Lance under his breath as he continued to fight.  
  
Back with Pyro and Kitty, the fire had not ceased. However, Kitty soon got out of the maelstrom by phasing through the hot flames. But wherever she went, the flames followed her. And no matter what happened, the insane laughter of the pyromaniac mutant could be heard.  
  
"Give it up girly! You and your mates are toast this time!" laughed Pyro as he kept the fires burning bright.  
  
Kitty then phased through a large stack of crates in order to take cover. While this did slow the attack, it didn't stop it.  
  
"This guy is nuts..." said Kitty as the fires started to follow her once more.  
  
Back with Rogue, she kept low and quiet behind a stack of large boxes. She knew they were under attack, but she tried to stay calm and remember everything she had learned from Logan and the Danger Room. Suddenly, a new presence from behind startled Rogue out of her train of thought. She turned around to see Gambit casually leaning against one of the crates. He had a strange, almost hypnotic, smile on his face and he was casually shuffling a deck of cards. Rogue didn't fight him for some reason and he didn't fight her. He just slowly made his way towards her with the same strange smile that seemed to have cast a spell on Rogue, and handed her one of the cards from his deck; it was the queen of hearts. Rogue was stunned, she didn't know what to make of all this. As she looked down at the card, Remy made his escape and ducked out. Then suddenly, the card began to burn brightly and before Rogue could react, it exploded, knocking her back.  
  
"I have that effect on women," said Remy confidently as he saw his plan come together against Rogue.  
  
However, Rogue wouldn't take that. She immediately arose and looked back at the Cajun mutant with a new sense of anger in her eyes.  
  
"You just made a big mistake pal!" said Rogue as she lunged forth at Gambit and began to fight.  
  
Remy was somewhat surprised at her skill, but that only made him grin more.  
  
"I like a girl with spunk," he grinned as he fought back.  
  
Back with Scott and Jean, they found themselves up against the two strongest of their new enemies, Collosus and Blob. Optic blasts and telekinesis alone wasn't enough against these strong mutants. They just kept right on at it as a hail of flying object from around the harbor and numerous optic blasts riddled the area.  
  
"Is that all you got?!" boasted Blob as he fought his way through Scott's powerful optic blasts.  
  
"Not quite," quipped Scott as he turned up the power.  
  
This knocked the immovable Blob back, but didn't stop him. Even with his large size, Freddy avoided some the increasingly intense blasts. However, this only made his rage grow as he continued to fight on.  
  
Jean was in this as well, for she was busy trying to use her powers to hold back Collosus. However, he proved to be even stronger than he looked. Even though it was a struggle, his expression remained stoic. While Jean heard the others around him yelling out in anger and rage, Collosus seemed somewhat collected. He still fought on, ripping large metal beams from nearby construction work and heaving them in Jean's direction. While these were heavy, Jean's powers were more than strong enough to stop them...Thanks in some ways to her old friend the Phoenix.  
  
"You're not one to talk much are you?" said Jean as she stopped another metal beam with her mind and flung it off to the side.  
  
The Russian mutant said nothing as he only hurled more heavy objects at her.  
  
"Fine...Be that way," said Jean as she continued to divert the metal beams.  
  
Evan had his hands tied battling Toad. His spikes were hitting nothing but air as the nimble, young mutant jumped all over the many features of the harbor in order to dodge the incoming projectiles. It was almost like a game to him, but Evan didn't let that phase him. He knew Todd was always overconfident in some way or another, it just made the fight all the more frustrating.  
  
"Whoa, you could put an eye out with those things," said Toad as he dodged more spikes from Evan.  
  
"That's not all they'll do swamp breath!" replied Evan as he stepped up his rate of fire with his projectiles.  
  
"Come on bone boy! You're makin' this too easy for me yo!" boasted Toad as he hopped along the edge of the harbor.  
  
However, his overconfidence would be short lived as a metal beam from the fight between Jean and Collosus flew in their direction. This caught Todd off guard and he was soon knocked back by the heavy girder and pinned to the ground with spikes from Evan.  
  
"Not so confident now are you Tolensky?"  
  
Meanwhile, Beast was busy trying to subdue the savage cat-like mutant Sabertooth in an animal vs. animal bout. As strong as Hank had become with his powers, Sabertooth proved to be far more menacing with each passing moment. His loud roars that echoed throughout the harbor were deafening and his temper all the more savage. Beast tried to fight him off, but it was hard to get through all of the rage that Sabertooth fought with. With a loud grunt, the cat-like mutant kicked Beast to the ground and attempted to make one last pounce. But Hank used his animal-like limbs to catch him in the process and send him flying back in to the air. In a fit of rage, Sabertooth began another attack, but he wasn't prepared for what happened next.  
  
A mysterious tornado of wind then swept up the savage mutant as he thrashed wildly to break free. Soon, he found himself looking eye to eye with a very angry looking Storm.  
  
"Where is Logan!?" demanded Ororo as she held Sabertooth tightly in her windy confinement.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know..." said Sabertooth with a sinister grin.  
  
"He knows something!" yelled Rogue, whom had heard his comments.  
  
"He ain't the only one yo..." commented Toad as he broke free of Evan's spikes.  
  
"ERR! What are you talking about!? What are you goons up to?!" yelled Evan as he tried to pin Todd down again, but missed.  
  
"Get ready to find out..."

* * *

Unknown to the X-men above, the vast facility that the Friends of Humanity were using was directly underneath them. The sentinel had been repaired from its earlier battle with Wolverine and they were making some final adjustments in order to perfect their creation.  
  
"Is it ready?" asked Trask to one of the lead scientists who was typing feverishly on the console.  
  
"Ready and awaiting your orders."  
  
"Excellent, bring Wolverine back in to the test area. Let's see what this thing can really do!" said Trask with a sinister grin on his face.  
  
Three armed soldiers then bought the unconscious Logan back in to the center of the room and quickly made their retreat for the safety of the observation deck. It didn't take long for the Wolverine to awaken from his forced sleep, but he only found himself back where he had started. With an angry grunt, Logan scanned the room for any threats and began trying to think of a way to escape. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by two ominous red eyes staring at him from the far side of the room.  
  
"Mutant identified. Objective: Destroy."  
  
"Bring it on bub!" grunted Logan, who would rather go down fighting than just letting this thing win.  
  
The Wolverine lunged forth and began to slash in to the thick metal armor of the sentinel with his adamantium claws. However, he found himself thrown against the side of the room once more by the overwhelming strength of the metal robot. However, this only caused Logan to grunt even louder as he pounced upon the top of the oversized head of the robot. With his claws he began to slash away at the armor plating. However, this only caused the sentinel to thrash violently in an attempt to throw him off. Logan held strong though as the fight continued on and the Friends of Humanity only watched on, eager to see their creation succeed.

* * *

Out on top of a tall building overlooking the docks, Magneto stood with his daughter Wanda by his side. They only watched on in amusement at the fight between the X-men and the newly expanded Brotherhood below. Then, Pietro came speeding up to the roof with urgent news.  
  
"Everything's in place dad. It's all coming together now," reported Pietro with an excited grin.  
  
"Perfect...Now the whole world will know of the mutant race!" said Magneto as he raised his hand in to the air.  
  
Suddenly, the ground beneath the harbor began to shake violently. The sudden rumble caused most of the fighting mutants to lose their balance as they struggled to fight against the new Brotherhood recruits.  
  
"What's going on?!" yelled Storm as she watched the ground began to crumble.  
  
Suddenly, the Brotherhood began to flee from the scene and make their way back to the orbs that had they had come from. Each one of them had a sinister smile on their face as they flew off in to the sky in Magneto's metallic spheres and left the bewildered X-men behind to face what was coming out of the ground.  
  
Below the surface of the earth, the metallic fortifications had began to shake violently by some unseen force and all the electronic instruments began to short out.  
  
"What happening?!" yelled Trask as some of the soldiers and the scientists began to flee from the sparking electronics throughout the room.  
  
"I don't know! But we have to get out of here!" said the lead scientist as he attempted to leave, but Trask grabbed him by the collars stopping him cold in his tracks.  
  
"NOBODY LEAVES! What about the sentinel?!" bellowed Trask.  
  
"We can't control it now! We have to get out of its way or we may get caught in the cross fire!" said the scientist as he broke free of Trask's grip and fled.  
  
Trask could only watch as a mysterious force lifted the sentinel through the thick outer roof of the underground complex.  
  
"NO!!!"  
  
Then, the massive sentinel robot finally broke through the concrete above taking Logan along for the ride. In the distance Magneto, Pietro, and Wanda watched in triumph, as everything seemed to come together just as they had planned.  
  
"What the hell is THAT?" said Scott as he and the rest of the team watched in amazement as a massive humanoid robot came up out of the ground.  
  
Upon breaking the surface, Logan was thrown to the sides where the rest of the X-men were standing. Ororo and Rogue quickly rushed to his side.  
  
"Logan!" exclaimed Rogue as she helped him up, "Yer okay!"  
  
"Yeah..." said Logan slightly out of breath, but fine none the less, "But we've got bigger problems now."  
  
As they helped Logan back, the sentinel rose once more and began to scan the area around it. Before long, it had the X-men clear in its sights.  
  
"Multiple mutant targets identified. Objective: Destroy."  
  
With earth shaking steps, the massive robot began to make its way towards the bewildered team of mutants as they were soon led closer to the inner parts of the crowded city. Unknown to them, a local news chopper was hovering near overlooking the traffic.  
  
"And west bound on route 18 we have...Wait! Get a shot of that!" yelled the reporter as he saw the massive sentinel enter deeper in to the city.  
  
The helicopter then spun around to get a closer look as the sentinel closed in on the X-men. The team didn't respond to this new development, for they had bigger problems to deal with. As they prepared to fight this monstrosity, a strange mechanical noise came from within the sentinel and several ominous looking cannons formed along the body and arms of the robot.  
  
"X-men, scramble!" yelled Scott as the sentinel began to fire on to the street.  
  
Screams of civilians could be heard as the X-men split up and took cover around the area. However there was no hiding from this thing. It seemed all too determined to annihilate each one of them. Scott used optic blasts to fire back at it, but it had very thick armor that was only dented by the blows. Jean attempted to use her powers to push it back, but under heavy fire from the arm cannons, she found it too hard to keep her concentration up. Police cars along with law enforcement personal soon crowded around them and only stared in disbelief at what they were seeing. They didn't move as the sentinel deflected a car that was flung by Jean's telekinesis right towards them.  
  
"Oh crap," said Kitty upon seeing this and quickly made her move.  
  
She rushed over to the bewildered officers and promptly phased them through the incoming projectiles, which only caused the growing amount of onlookers to gasp even more. The damage being caused by the sentinel grew as it lashed out in to buildings around it forcing Kurt, Kitty, Beast, and Rogue to make sudden rescues of the bewildered audience around them. Some screamed in fear at both the sentinel and the X-men, even when they saved lives. Yet the team fought on and kept trying to subdue the massive robot. Logan tried to cut through the armor and Scott tried to blast it, but despite the damage they caused the sentinel kept on fighting. Jean was forced to use shields around both the team and civilians caught in the crossfire of the melee around them. Beast and the others tried to get people away, but some were just too paralyzed at what they were seeing.  
  
All of this was being broadcasted live all over the world as more news choppers and eager camera crews scoured the area. People back in Bayville and all over the country tuned in to see the unreal events unfolding in the busy streets of New York.  
  
"Live from Southern Manhattan the melee continues as what appears to be a giant robot continues to attack the city along with strange humans wielding unnatural powers. You heard it right folks, a giant robot is attacking Manhattan! Sources are unclear but you see it now live before you. I would never have believed it, but here it is in sight for the world to see. And it seems as though authorities are helpless to stop this thing as it continues it rampage across the city."  
  
Cameras watched as each member of the X-men scrambled to stop the sentinel at all costs. Logan had once again leaped on to its head and finally was able to pierce in to the wires that lie within. Soon, sparks were starting to fly as the robot grew more out of control and flung Logan off to the side crashing in to Storm and Rogue in the process.  
  
"Aunty O!" yelled Evan as he saw this event unfold.  
  
Immediately, a new feeling of anger overcame Evan as he leaped on to the top of a nearby car and concentrated on his powers. As the sentinel aimed its cannons at the young mutant, a barrage of sharp spikes shot out of Evan's body before an amazed crowd. Some of the spikes missed, some of them bounced harmlessly off thick armor, but some did hit their marks and one of those marks was the cannon. More sparks erupted from the new gashes, as the sentinel became more unruly. As it attempted to fire its cannons, the arm exploded from within and soon the massive robot limb was blown to the ground leaving a deep pit in the middle of the street.  
  
"Hit it from the side Scott!" yelled Evan he dodged bursts of fire from the other cannon.  
  
"I'm on it!" yelled Scott as he tried to make his way over to the side of the massive robot.  
  
Along with this, Storm had awoken from her dazed state as she got up and unleashed a powerful tornado around her much to the shock of the police officers watching the whole thing. The tornado soon engulfed the robot and forced it to stop its advance. It thrashed wildly at the buildings around, causing all the more damage. Jean, Rogue, Kurt, Kitty, Hank, and Logan were forced to get people out of the way once more as the damage around them grew. They knew this thing had to be stopped now before more carnage ensued. Scott was ready to unleash one more well placed blast to the massive opening left from the severed mechanical arm that had blown off. He carefully aimed, knowing he had to make this shot count.  
  
"Hold him still Storm! I may only get one shot!" yelled Scott through the wind around the sentinel.  
  
"I'm...Trying!" said Ororo as she increased the wind speed around the robot. "Do it now!"  
  
With a single blast to the side, a large explosion erupted from within the sentinel. The ground shook as it stumbled back and parts of it caught fire. Finally, it let out one last explosion from within the mighty sentinel collapsed in to the side of a building, causing the entire side of it to crumble. As camera crews sent the fantastic images to the shocked audiences around the world, the X-jet appeared over the X-men piloted by the Professor. Along with the x-jet, a fleet of military helicopters sped towards the scorched battleground with the sentinel.  
  
Magneto and his offspring couldn't help but relish their triumph. Everything had gone exactly as they had hoped. The whole world had seen what had just happened and the X-men were now exposed along with the rest of the mutant world. As they watched Xavier send down support ropes to pick up the X-men, several fully armed military choppers flew up towards the building where the three mutants were standing.  
  
"This is the marines. Whoever or whatever you are, surrender immediately!" said a booming voice from the lead helicopter.  
  
Magneto, Wanda, and Pietro only grinned in amusement at their demands.  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
Then, with a strong magnetic burst and a blast of hex bolts the fleet of helicopters was sent crumbling to the ground with little effort.  
  
"Come my children, it is time to make our leave," said Magneto as he used the metal in the concrete on the rooftop to tear a circular piece of area to transport them out of the combat zone.  
  
"What about the X-geeks?" asked Pietro.  
  
"It's over for them. The military will see to that. And they will soon realize that Charles's dream was never more than a pathetic fantasy."  
  
As they sped off in to the sky along with the spheres containing the Brotherhood they looked back down at the smoldering battleground left in wake of the sentinel. Millions of people had seen this happen and no power could keep mutants a secret anymore. As soon as they were out of sight, the final X-man boarded the hovering X-jet.  
  
"Hurry Professor! Go!" yelled Scott as he saw the military helicopters get closer and closer.  
  
"Hang on!" said Xavier as he lit up the powerful engines and sped off to the east at speeds no military helicopter could match.  
  
The ride was very bumpy for everybody present, but that didn't register that much as they looked back at the smoke that had risen from where the sentinel had collapsed. It was clear now that the cat was out of the bag and there were no more secrets about mutants and their existence.  
  
"Now what do we do?" said Kitty as she looked off in to the fading city skyline with the rest of the group.  
  
"Ve hope...That's all we can do now," replied Kurt in a daze.  
  
Kurt found himself wrap an arm around her waist in an effort to calm both himself and her. He couldn't give her the answer...Nobody could. Everyone was anxious to know what the next day would bring now that their secret was out. Millions of people had seen their faces and watched them perform superhuman feats on live television. Even the people who were there seemed afraid of them even though they were doing all they could to save those caught up in the fight. Now that fear may permeate throughout the rest of the world as the truth is finally revealed in the coming days.  
  
Scott soon found himself looking back at the Professor, who seemed unusually stoic after what had just happened.  
  
"What happens now Professor?" asked Scott as he walked in to the cockpit and was soon followed by Jean.  
  
"We return to the mansion," replied Xavier simply as he set the course for home.  
  
"That's it?" said Jean upon hearing this, "But everybody will know now!"  
  
"It's all we can do now Jean."  
  
The Professor didn't say anything more after that. He just stuck to flying the jet. Jean wanted to say more, but Scott stopped her by gently putting a hand on her shoulder. Soon, the two found themselves embrace each other in a comforting hug knowing tomorrow would be a very different world.  
  
"They knew..." said Logan as the rest of the team struggled to process the events of this fateful day.  
  
"What do you mean Logan?" asked Beast.  
  
"They planned this...They set us up."  
  
"Who?" said Rogue not knowing what he was talking about at first.  
  
"Magneto...This was all his doing. He played us from the start and we fell for it."  
  
"But why? Why would he want to expose mutants like this? They'll make just as big a target out of him as they will the rest of us," reasoned Ororo.  
  
"Maybe that's exactly what he wants."  
  
No more words were spoken as the X-jet disappeared in to the clouds. Just below them, messages of fear, panic, and confusion swept across the nation.  
  
"Who are these beings? Freaks? Aliens? Are we being invaded? Is it safe outside anymore?"

* * *

As the X-jet descended from the sky back towards the mansion, they were all greeted with a ghastly sight...The mansion was gone. It had blown up...Their home had blown up and was now nothing more than a big mound of rubble.  
  
"What the fuck..." said Logan as the full extent of the devastation came in to sight.  
  
"The institute..." said Rogue in a tone that was barely audible.  
  
Shock overtook the X-men as they saw the rubble that was once their home...Their only home that they had ever been able to fit in. It was all gone now, the one place that had saved them from living a terrible life of poverty on the streets. It had saved them and kept them from rotting away in the alleys of city streets. All they could do now was gasp and look on in disbelief at the shambles that was once their only home.  
  
As soon as the X-jet landed on the back cliff, everybody rushed out and stood before barren rubble of the Xavier Institute. They walked around in a daze through the twisted debris and soon found themselves at the mangled front entrance. Time seemed to freeze for all of them as they looked around at their destroyed home.  
  
"This can't be happening...This is all a bad dream," said Evan as he picked up some of the charred pieces of the institute walls.  
  
"No...It's real," said Logan who tried to remain strong as he saw the will of the rest of the team break down.  
  
"How could this have happened? How?!" exclaimed Kitty who was in tears now.  
  
There was nothing else that could be done anymore. They could only try and take in this horrible event that had shattered their fragile hopes that had stayed strong through so many tribulations in the past. They had felt the pain of famine, abuse, neglect, rape, poverty, and death...But even they could not amount to what they felt here and now in the wake of their destroyed home.  
  
Then Scott, who was still in a state of disbelief, suddenly felt a great sense of anger come over him. His mind had a sudden revelation as he turned towards the Professor with rage in his eyes.  
  
"You...IT WAS YOU! YOU DID THIS!" yelled Scott as he stormed over to the Professor, grabbed him by the collar, and threw him down to the ground.  
  
"Scott?! What are you doing?" exclaimed Ororo as she and Jean grabbed Scott and struggled to hold him back in his state of anger.  
  
Suddenly, the Professor stood up and let out a sinister laugh. The rest of the X-men only looked back in horror as Mystique's form replaced that of Xavier. She looked all to content with the reactions of her enemies and could only look back with them with a snide expression, taunting them for they had lost.  
  
"Yes...You all fell for it just as planned. And now...Things will get MUCH worse."

* * *

AN: To be continued for now! Stay tuned to find out how the exposure of mutants to the world will effect the X-men in the next chapter! See how they cope with losing their home yet again and see the first appearance of the unstoppable Juggernaut! I'll try and post it soon...But that all depends on the demand I get. Well what did you think of this version of "Day of Reckoning?" Like it? Hate it? Send all your feedback to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Well, that's it for now! Until next time, best wishes to you all!  
  
REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	35. Day of Recovery

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 34: Day of Recovery**

* * *

AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "Day of Recovery" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
But before I begin, a word from me to my wonderful reviewers!  
  
Darkness1: Sorry I couldn't make the Lance vs. Kurt battle any longer, but I couldn't risk making the fic drag. The last thing I want to do is confuse my readers. As for the part about Kurt porting Kitty through the sentinel to phase it out, I felt that it would be more explosive if Scott and Storm took it out. I know it was kind of second rate simply having Kurt and Kitty deal with dazed pedestrians, but that's just the way it panned out. Thank you so much for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Ryuu of the Broken Light: Your other half is strange to say the least. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope you like this one! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Quill of Molliemon: Yeah, I decided to skip that whole Area 51 part because the Brotherhood and the X-men never teamed up in the beginning. And it doesn't stop here! I have a few more things planned, and I hope you like them! Thanks and enjoy!  
  
Star-of-Chaos: Yeah, I decided to add a bit more dialogue to Rogue and Remy's meeting. I felt that the series could have done so much more with that! But that's just because I'm a Romy fan! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Sentoris: I'm glad you think my version is better than the original! While I don't like to get overconfident about it, I'm still glad you think so highly of it. Also, that part in the original version about the Brotherhood and the X-men joining forces bothered me too. I knew something was up, so I wasn't too surprised to learn that Mystique was impersonating the professor. In this version, I try to make it more surprising. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing and enjoy the chapter!  
  
Agent-G: I'm glad you noticed the Logan/Rogue relationship. I got that from the X-men movie, where I think they have a father/daughter thing going. Thanks for noticing it! As for your question about this being a series of fics, I'm sorry to say that it won't. Once this story is done, I won't have any other stories after it. Unless sometime way down the road I get inspired to add on to it, once I finish this story it'll be done for good. I'm sorry, but I just don't think I can add on it anymore after it's done. But don't worry, I have plenty of other stories in the works! If you or anybody else wants to know more about them, just email me and I'll be happy to give a little info on what I have planned! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like the chapter!  
  
Ranndie Mazda: I'm glad you liked it! I hope you like where I take it in the next few chapters! Enjoy!  
  
Kaliann: Yeah! I'm glad someone finally notices! Psychology is the one key component that I wanted to use in this story because the cartoon almost completely negated it! When I watch Evo, the old cartoon, or the comics the characters never show any psychological aspects as a result of what happens to them or what they do. Without this, it doesn't give reasons or justification for certain actions, which only confuses or angers the reader. I'm glad you liked my use of such aspects and I hope you like where I take it in this and other chapters. Enjoy!  
  
Enchantedlight: Yeah, they just can't seem to get a break can they? Well, read on and see how bad it gets! Enjoy!  
  
Megaroony: I'm honored that you're so enthusiastic about my story! And yeah, I liked the "Ragin' Cajun" thing too! That's why I used it! Gambit has always been one of my favorite characters. And don't worry about the long review, I enjoy reading them! I hope you continue to enjoy my story and thank you so much for reading it!  
  
Reddfire: It's good to hear from you again my friend! I'm glad you liked my take on "Day of Reckoning" and I hope you like "Day of Recovery" as well! As for the evo thing...Well, I won't say anything more. Enjoy!  
  
The Maker: Hey! I'm glad you liked it! And don't worry, there's still a few chapters left of this story and I have plenty more in the works for the future! Thanks and I hope you like this chapter!  
  
ASGT: I'm glad you like my version so much! And yeah, I kinda thought Rogue and Remy's first meeting in the series was somewhat uneventful. That's why I changed it! Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter!  
  
Wen: As always, thanks you so much for the comments! I love reading them! Also, please update your story "Does the life really worth a try?" I really like it!  
  
Well, that's it for reviewers! Now on with the chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

"This is your fault! You destroyed it all! Why!?" yelled an angry Scott as he and his fellow X-men stood before a triumphant Mystique.  
  
She had destroyed their home...The only place that they could ever so much as call home. It was gone now because of her.  
  
"You destroyed Asteroid M...I destroyed your home. We're even now. Don't ever think you can get away with humiliating and defeating me and my comrades. Consider this your long overdue payback."  
  
"You're sick Mystique...You're fucking sick!" yelled Logan as he unsheathed his claws and prepared to tear the blue shape shifter apart.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you Wolverine. If you hurt me, than you'll never find out where your Professor is. And don't bother trying to scan my mind; you can not beat my mental shields."  
  
"She's right," said Jean as she tried to get in to her head for some answers, "I'm not getting anything."  
  
All this seemed to send Kurt over the edge. His own mother had just destroyed his home and had done it without conscious. Now he felt the blood in his veins burn with raw anger.  
  
"YOU EVIL BITCH!" yelled Kurt as he tackled Mystique to the ground and wrapped his hands firmly around her neck, ready to choke the life out of her. "YOU'VE ALREADY MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL, AND THAT STILL ISN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU???"  
  
"That's no way to talk to you're mother...SON," said Mystique as she struggled to escape Kurt's death grip.  
  
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" yelled Rogue as she lunged forth and reached to grab Mystique with her ungloved hand.  
  
But before she could make contact, Mystique was able to kick Kurt off her and send him crashing in to Rogue. The rest of the team wanted nothing more than to vaporize Mystique right then and there, but before they could she shifted in to a black raven and began to fly away while dodging optic blasts and spikes in the process. However, as she was leaving, she said one last thing to the enraged X-men.  
  
"Fight me all you want...But I think that's going to be the least of your worries."  
  
Kurt and Rogue were at a total loss for words now. Their own flesh and blood had destroyed their home. Anger gave way to guilt for being a part of this woman's so called 'family' when in reality she was never a mother at all to them. Before they could do anything else, a gentle shaking could be felt in the ground. And in the distance a large cloud of dust began to rise up over the horizon.  
  
"What the..." began Logan, but soon it dawned on him and the rest of the team. "SHIT! It's the military!"  
  
Then, a booming voice came through loudspeakers being wielded by a strong, ominous looking man in full military uniform.  
  
"Attention! This is the army! By direct order of the Federal Government you are all hereby under arrest and are to be bought in for questioning!"  
  
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," said Scott as it seemed he and the X- men were going to have to fight once more.  
  
Soon, canisters of tear gas were launched at the bewildered team of mutants. However, with Storm's help, it was blow right back at them.  
  
"We have to get out of here!" said Storm as she and the rest of the group used the momentary cloud of gas over the front line of military vehicles to spread out and lead them away.  
  
"Don't have to tell me twice!" said Evan as he followed his Aunt and Logan to find cover near some of the rubble along with the others.  
  
This action only enraged the leader of the strike force.  
  
"GET THEM! DON'T LET EM GET AWAY!"  
  
The X-men took cover wherever they could as a wave of troops jumped out of their jeeps and scrambled to find them. Soon, gunfire and grenade explosions could be heard. It bought back some old memories of the streets for the young teens, but now was not the time to dwell on it. It was a life and death situation now. They had faced far too many of them in their short lives as it is, but now they were forced to face another.  
  
"How are we gonna get outta this one?" said Rogue as she took cover with the rest of the team.  
  
"We have to get back to the X-jet," said Scott as he fired an optic blast back at some of the jeeps, "We can't let them destroy it."  
  
"Great plan...Any idea how we get through the damn army in our way?"  
  
They all knew this was easier said than done because they had landed it on the other side of the institute and now they had to make their way through the trees surrounding the institute or risk being easy targets.  
  
"I guess we'll have to improvise," said Beast as Scott and Jean were once again busy deflecting incoming projectiles.  
  
Using this opening, Beast and Rogue tried to lead more troops away. However, they were soon pinned down by a line of rugged off road vehicles manned by heavily armed soldiers.  
  
"We got em now!" said one of the men as they opened fire once more in an attempt to flush the trapped mutants out.  
  
Suddenly, two figures appeared behind them. The startled soldiers turned around to see Kurt and Kitty.  
  
"Gutan tag," said Kurt casually as he proceeded to kick some of the soldiers out of the vehicle.  
  
Kitty then used this opportunity to short circuit the automotive mechanisms with her phasing powers. From that she went along the row of military jeeps and kept short circuiting the vital components that made them run. Some soldiers tried to shoot her, but she phased right through the bullets.  
  
"What the hell?" said one of the soldiers as he unloaded what seemed like an entire magazine at Kitty.  
  
"It's like shooting through air!" exclaimed another.  
  
Just then, Kurt appeared right before the bewildered troops that had been shooting at Kitty.  
  
"You're gonna regret doing that!" said an angry Kurt as he kicked the guns out of their hands and knocked them out cold with his fighting skills that he had learned from training in the Danger Room.  
  
Upon slowing them down, Kurt and Kitty took cover with Rogue in the trees as they slowly made their way back towards the others.  
  
Meanwhile Scott, Jean, and Logan kept fighting their way towards the X-jet. They knew they had to act fast, for if the X-jet was too heavily damaged they would be completely trapped.  
  
"We're getting closer!" said Jean as the jet was now in sight. "I'll cover you!"  
  
"How?!" yelled Scott as he fired another optic blast in to the hail of gunfire.  
  
"I'll put up a shield around the whole thing! All you need to do is start it and get it in the air!" said Jean as she deflected another capture net that was launched her way.  
  
"Have you ever even tried something like that before?!" exclaimed Scott knowing the strain such an action could put on his girlfriend.  
  
"No time for debate Cyke!" said Logan as he fell back towards them, "Do it Jeannie!"  
  
They were out of options and out of time. Jean didn't hesitate any longer as she put up a large telekinetic shield around the entire X-jet. It was a feat she had never tried before and it was on a scale that she never thought she could do, but with the help of the power surge she received from the Phoenix and Scott's psychic support she was able to keep it up. Scott and Logan didn't waste time as they scrambled on board the jet and started the engines. They knew Jean couldn't hold up the shield forever so they had to act fast.  
  
'Can't...Hold it...Much...Longer,' said Jean through her link with Scott as more and more rounds of bullets and shells were shot at the X-jet.  
  
'Come on Jean, you can do it! Just a little bit longer!' said Scott as the systems of the plane came to life.  
  
"We're up and runnin'!" said Logan as the engines began to roar.  
  
Just then, Kurt teleported in to the plane with Kitty and Rogue and promptly teleported back out to get Beast, Evan, and Storm. Jean still had the shield up, but it was starting to waver because of the strain. Seconds ticked by slowly as they waited for the rest of the team. The air was tense and the noises from the outside echoed loudly. Finally, Kurt appeared with Storm, Evan, and Beast and they were ready to take off.  
  
"Everybody here?" said Storm as she and the others promptly strapped themselves in for a bumpy ride.  
  
"Wait! Don't take off! Jean's still out there!" said Scott as he ran to the doors.  
  
"Hurry it up kid! They're closin' on us!" yelled Logan as the noise around them only grew stronger.  
  
Scott didn't waste time as he ran out and found Jean still standing near the doors struggling immensely to keep the shields up. She had gone beyond her pervious limits to protect their only way out and she was on the verge of passing out completely.  
  
"Can't...Hold it...Any...More," stammered Jean as she tried not to pass out, however she soon found in impossible to fight. As her body collapsed from fatigue, Scott caught her and quickly carried her in to the jet.  
  
"NOW LOGAN! GO! GO!" yelled Scott as the doors closed.  
  
Then, the vibration of the engines could be felt by all as the X-jet rose from the ground and began to speed off through a hail of gunfire.  
  
"Jean...Are you okay?" said Scott softly as he tried to wake her up.  
  
The strain Jean had put on her mind was great, but she had done it. Slowly, the young mutant regained consciousness.  
  
"Ow...My head," moaned Jean as she felt pressure in her head from the great deal of strain she had just put on it. "Did it I do it? Is everybody safe?"  
  
"Yeah...Everybody's safe now. Don't worry Jean...Just rest for now," said Scott as he held her close and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.  
  
Everybody breathed a collective sigh of relief, for they had made it out alive. However, it didn't change the terrible events that had happened. The Professor was gone, their home was destroyed, and the world was now a much more hostile place.

* * *

There was nowhere to go now that the world had seen them exposed as mutants live on TV. It now seemed that everywhere there were police cars and military forces scouring the streets. Every neighborhood seemed like a ghost town now. People were afraid to even set foot outside because of the fear that now gripped the country. This led the X-men to seek refuge in a dirty, dingy cave located in the heavily wooded countryside of upstate New York. By now, night had fallen over the land and most of the team had collapsed from exhaustion. They were all so tired after what had happened, that all they could think about now was sleep. They wanted to wake up from this nightmare that seemed so unreal, yet it couldn't it couldn't be escaped.  
  
Despite fatigue and exhaustion Logan, Hank, and Ororo stayed awake and stood at the opening of the cave discussing what should be done next.  
  
"Washington huh? You sure that's a good idea now that the cat's outta the bag?" said Logan as he heard of Ororo and Hank's plans.  
  
"Yes, something has to be done in order to alleviate public fear," said Hank as he now dressed in a trench coat and a hat that was stashed in the plane in case the need for a disguise came up.  
  
"Well what makes you think they'll listen to you? What if you get arrested or lynched?" said Logan not liking one bit of their plan.  
  
"We have to try Logan...We have to do something to stop this madness. They now fear us because they don't understand. And we have to show the world that we are not to be feared...Or else Magneto will have truly won," said Ororo knowing that this had to be done.  
  
Logan still didn't like the plan one bit...But in the end he knew Storm was right.  
  
"But still...I think you should let me go instead."  
  
"No...You have to stay here and watch over the students. They need us now more than ever Logan. And we must come through for them..."  
  
Ororo's words had a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety, but it did not affect her decision. Logan knew this and could only accept it.  
  
"Well then...Be careful out there. Ya hear?"  
  
"Don't worry. We will," said Hank managing a smile.  
  
"Are you ready Hank?" said Ororo as she started to kick up a small tornado.  
  
"Well, I'm glad I skipped dinner...So yeah. Let's go!"  
  
And with that the wind lifted them in to the air and they sped off back towards the mansion where they would pick up the X-copter. That is...If it was still intact. But they would get to Washington never the less, for they had to...Their survival depended on it.

* * *

Few words were spoken the next day as each mutant awoke from their slumber. Feelings of dread and sorrow ran through everybody as reality set in. This was no nightmare or dream...This was real. There was only a small ration of food stashed away in the X-jet, so hunger would definitely be a problem if they hid out too long. The dingy cave that they were staying in also did little to bolster their spirits.  
  
Now, much of the team simply lofted about the cave in a dazed state, wondering what was going to happen to them next. Kitty had been trying to get a signal from a radio they had stashed in the jet, but the remoteness of the area was bringing nothing but static.  
  
"Damn it...Still can't get a signal," said Kitty as she walked to another part of the cave.  
  
"This far out, you'll be lucky if ya can get anything," muttered Rogue pessimistically as she rested her head against the hard cave walls.  
  
"Yeah...Just like the good ol' days," added Evan as he watched the all too familiar situation.  
  
"Ve've lived in worse, Evan," reminded Kurt although it did little to help.  
  
"Yeah...I know."  
  
Staying in the dirty, dingy cave bought back old memories of their struggles on the streets. The hard surfaces, the stale air, and the constant fear of total strangers out to get them was an all to familiar feeling that only made the hearts and minds of the young mutants sink further in to hopelessness. They had tried to forget the terrible time they had spent alone and scared on the streets ever since they had joined the institute. The feelings never left them, but they had learned to at least cope with them. Now they didn't even have that anymore. It was like starting all over again from scratch in their already sad lives.  
  
Jean couldn't take it hearing all their thoughts of fear and despair, so she made her way outside to the entrance of the cave where Scott was leaning against the side lost in thought.  
  
"Hey Scott."  
  
"Hey," he replied simply.  
  
"Where's Logan?" she asked as she stood next to him.  
  
"In the X-jet, gathering whatever food is left so at least we won't go hungry."  
  
"Yeah...I remember how bad that felt."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Neither of them said much, for there was not much else to say. This whole situation had left every one of them speechless. They had seen so many terrible sights in their lives, but this was truly one of the worst. They had lost the only place they had ever been able to call home.  
  
"So what happens next?" said Jean breaking the silence.  
  
"I don't know...But the best thing to do now is find the Professor."  
  
"Do you think he's okay?"  
  
"I wish I could tell you he was Jean but...I just don't know. I guess we just have to have faith that he's still out there."  
  
Scott just stood there besides Jean at a loss for better words. He wished he could do something more and knowing everybody looked up to him as the team leader he felt somewhat disappointed in himself, for he could offer no simple plan of action. Scott Summers let out a tired sigh as he leaned against Jean and pulled her in to a gentle hug. It helped calm the both of them down as they looked in to the empty distances of the northern expanse.  
  
"Its kind of ironic isn't it?" said Scott as his gaze shifted back towards her.  
  
"What is?"  
  
"You know. How we've survived the streets, Magneto, and the Phoenix...Only to have everything fall apart from something like this."  
  
"Hey, don't think that Scott. Everything hasn't fallen apart...There's still hope. If we can survive those things than we can definitely survive this," said Jean trying to stay strong despite the hopelessness of their situation. "We've all been through so much together. And every time I thought that I couldn't go on...You were there to help me. And I was there to help you. Even though we went through a lot to get to this point...You always told me to never give up hope no matter what. Don't let that fail you now..."  
  
Scott pondered Jean's words briefly. He knew she was right. And it was strange that she was simply giving him the exact same advice he had given her all those years ago when they were faced with situations far darker than the ones they faced now. It was kind of funny in a sense that he had forgotten his own words...But thankfully Jean hadn't.  
  
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Scott managed to smile.  
  
"I won't give up hope Jean...As long as you're here to remind me, I'll be there to remind you. Thanks."  
  
Scott then placed a soft kiss upon her forehead to show his gratitude for helping to keep him strong. Jean managed to smile back as she simply rested her tired head against his shoulder. The couple simply stayed like this and for a brief moment helped them deal with this tumultuous time.  
  
Soon, they were interrupted by a noise from the cave.  
  
"Hey! I got a signal!"  
  
It was Kitty, who had been fooling with a small radio for hours now trying to pick up any broadcasts that might shed light on what was happening back in Bayville. Scott and Jean rushed back in to listen in.  
  
"Turn it up Kitty! I can't hear," said Evan as he leaned in closer to the speaker.  
  
"I will if everybody stops crowding me!"  
  
As Kitty turned the volume up, some choppy speech could be deciphered.  
  
"And authorities are still on the lookout for the nine mutant suspects that took part in yesterdays unprecedented attack in Manhattan. Most of them have been identified as young students from the Bayville area. On the outside they look like normal teenagers, but as that now famous footage shows...Nothing could be farther from the truth. The military issued a statement a few hours ago, saying that the home of these mutants known as 'The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters' has been destroyed in what appeared to be a self-destruct mechanism. Most of the officials agree that this was most likely a tactic by the head of the institute to hide their escape from authorities. Local law enforcement has declared the inhabitance of the institute fugitives now and their whereabouts remain unknown."  
  
The X-men tried to hide their shock as the radio continued to broadcast blatant lies.  
  
"Criminals!?" exclaimed Evan as he listened to the disturbing broadcast. "They think we blew up our own home and now they're calling us CRIMINALS?!"  
  
"Just like old times, ja?" muttered Kurt as he continued to listen.  
  
"This is bullshit!" said Evan again as his frustration grew.  
  
"Calm down Evan!" said Scott. "They're groping around in the dark. They don't know so they're making assumptions."  
  
Evan choked back his anger as the broadcast continued.  
  
"Principal Edward Kelly of Bayville High, the same school the suspected teens attended, had this to say. 'I always had my suspicions about those Xavier students. Now I know the truth and so does the rest of the world. I strongly believe that mutants pose a great threat to humanity and every one of them must be dealt with in order for the public to be safe again.' Capitol Hill seems to be sharing his thoughts as a special joint session is meeting as we speak to discuss the proper course of action to take against the mutant threat."  
  
After that, none of the teens could take it anymore. Kitty let out a frustrated sigh as she dropped the radio and sat on the cold floor. Kurt sat next to her as a wave of despair came over the six teens. The worst had happened...They were lost, scared, and had nowhere to go. It was all too familiar as they felt as if the world around them had come crashing down.  
  
"It's over...It's really over," said Kitty as she leaned against Kurt for support. "After everything that's happened...It's all gone."  
  
"Guess this means we'll have to start all over again," muttered Rogue as she slumped back against the hard cave walls.  
  
"Guys come on...Don't talk like that," said Scott as he stood up.  
  
"Face it Scott...It's over. The Professor's gone, the institute's gone...Everything's gone," said Evan in a defeated tone.  
  
"No it's not!" said Scott refusing to accept it. "We've lost everything before...And we've been in this position before. And if we just roll over and die right here and now...Everything we've worked so hard to gain will go with it."  
  
"But vhat can ve do?" said Kurt desperately as he tried to grasp whatever hope Scott was trying to convey.  
  
"We have to stay strong. We have to show the world that we're not dangerous...We're not threats."  
  
"How the hell do we do that? I mean, how is this any different then last time?" said Rogue who didn't sound too hopeful.  
  
Scott just sighed, for he didn't have all the answers. However, he would not except defeat.  
  
"You're wrong Rogue. This isn't like before. Back then, we didn't have anything to fight for other than survival. But this time...We have more. This time, we have the power to take back what Magneto and Mystique took from us. We have the power to show the world who we really are. Come on guys...We can't just give up now. We're stronger than that...I know we are. We've been through hell once...We can do it again..."  
  
Scott's words were too true for them to ignore. They had been through hell...But they had survived it. Through all this turmoil they had been dwelling how weak they were...And not how strong they had become. Their lives had been nothing more than a long streak of suffering, but in the end they had lived through it and persevered. This time was different...This time they had the power to change their lives. And they couldn't squander such a gift.  
  
"You're right Scott..." said Kitty as she stood up. "We can't just sit around in sulk. We have to do something."  
  
"Ja...If we had just given up all those years ago...We would definitely be dead by now," said Kurt as he rose too.  
  
Rogue looked at Kurt and Kitty, and soon she found herself stand up as well.  
  
"Yer right...Given up now just ain't our style."  
  
This left Evan, who was still lost in thought...But not for long. Ignoring his own doubts, he stood as well.  
  
"If you guys are still gonna fight...I'll fight too. We've always been a team...And I'm not gonna stray from that...Not now, not ever."  
  
For the first time in what seemed like forever, hope could be felt throughout the X-men. They were going to keep on fighting for the dream Xavier had taught them and the ideas they had come to believe in. A new will had come over them as they began to face up to the challenges they knew were ahead of them.  
  
"So what do we do now?" asked Rogue.  
  
"We find the Professor," answered Jean.  
  
Scott managed to smile back at her as a token of thanks, for she had been the one to lift his spirits.  
  
'Nice little speech there Slim,' commented Jean through their link.  
  
'It was inspired by you, Jean. Thanks for not letting me give up hope,' he sent back as she smiled back at him.  
  
'Anytime Scott...Anytime.'  
  
As the team prepared to leave the cave they were confronted by Logan who had a very disgruntled look on his face.  
  
"We have to get outta here...The scanners on the jet just picked something up. We may have company real soon..."  
  
As Logan said those words, the noise of helicopters could be heard in the distance.

* * *

In a remote train station on the secluded expanses of upstate New York, a large freight train stopped along the tracks. Rail workers began to open up the cars one by one to unload the heavy freight, but as one of the workers opened the side doors he was met with an unexpected sight.  
  
"What? Who are you?" said the rail worker as he saw a huge, oversized man sitting casually on a crate.  
  
The large man didn't say a word. He just got off the train and put a strange, bowl-like helmet on. The bewildered old rail worker took in the man's massive size. He had never seen muscles so big on another human being. He was so big that he cast a dangerous shadow over him as he stood before the cowering old man.  
  
"Wait...You're not one of them mutants now are ya?"  
  
The large man stared down at the small human before him and gave him a dangerous look. Then, he answered his questions with actions as he slammed his massive fists against the side of the train...Causing the whole thing to shake, tilt, and keel over.  
  
"Yeah, I'm a mutant...The strongest mutant alive. I'm completely unstoppable. They call me...Juggernaut."

* * *

AN: Things are definitely heating up now! Stay tuned for the next chapter if you want to see the X-men versus the unstoppable Juggernaut! Can they beat him without the Professor? Well, you'll just have to wait and see. So what do you think of this story? I know it's starting to run very long, but I felt it was necessary. Please tell me what you think! Send your reviews to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Well, thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!  
  
SO...HUNGRY...NEED...REVIEWS!!! 


	36. The Stuff of Heroes

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 35: The Stuff of Heroes**

* * *

AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "The Stuff of Heroes" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
Ryuu of the Broken Light: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I felt that the original episode did not have enough of a fight scene between the military and the X-men, so I added more! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like the chapter!  
  
Blowfish the Monkey Tamer: Sorry if the story was a bit too long at certain parts, but I really couldn't find any other way to make what I wanted to do shorter without sacrificing the story. I'm glad you read it anyway! Thank you so much for reviewing!  
  
The maker: Yep! Juggernaut is here my friend! I had quite a bit of fun with this fight scene! I had to watch my tape of the episode at least six times to get it right! Thanks and enjoy!  
  
Agent G: I'm glad you don't mind the excessive length of the story. It was one of the many things that concerned me when writing this. As for the Juggernaut fight...Well, read on and see for yourself! Enjoy!  
  
Star-of-Chaos: Yeah, I thought that scene deserved a bit more emotion. I mean...Who wouldn't be mad at someone who intentionally destroyed their only home! Kurt and Rogue just took it to the next level. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Kaliann: You're right, the X-men defiantly have their work cut out for them. I hope you like how I did this chapter with them and Juggernaut. And I'll do my best to try and read one of your stories when I get the chance. Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!  
  
Queen of Molliemon: Yeah, Mystique is pretty mean. I think that the show didn't give a proper response from Kurt and Rogue, so I added it myself! That and the scene in the cave was a bit hard to write, but I'm happy with how it turned out! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
ASGT: I know they did it in the cartoon, and I liked how it was done. The Juggernaut battle ranks among one of my all time favorite episodes. That's why I liked writing this, even though it was kind of hard because I didn't want to destroy the original. Thank you very much for reviewing and I hope you like the chapter!  
  
Enchantedlight: Here's the update just like you asked! It came quicker than expected because I have more time to write in the summer! Enjoy!  
  
Mrs. Myxztipik: I hope I don't disappoint you! Thanks for your review and enjoy the chapter!  
  
Sentoris: Season 3 also ranks among one of my favorites! I loved "The Stuff of Villians" and "The Stuff of Heroes." They are some of my favorite episodes! And at first I actually debated whether or not to add the new recruits at first, but I realized that it would complicate my story too much and conflict too greatly with character development. As for how the team is going to stop Juggernaut...Well, you'll just have to read and find out for yourself! Enjoy my friend!  
  
IcyLeo: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I know that some parts were kind of depressing, but that's the same with many other parts of this story. I wanted it to have angst...But I didn't want to overdue it. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Wen: As always, thank you so much for the comments! And please update your story soon! You rock!  
  
That's all for the reviews, now I give you "The Stuff of Heroes."

* * *

In the chambers of the Capitol, both houses of Congress met on the floor to discuss the actions that were to be taken against the new mutant phenomena. Discussion was heated as fear and anxiety ran high among those who were present.  
  
"Order! Order!" yelled the Speaker of the House as he banged his gavel against the podium. "We will have order!"  
  
As the heated discussion gradually calmed, the majority leader resumed speaking.  
  
"So it is agreed. The Emergency Mutant Action bill will be passed before things grow out of hand and..."  
  
"What are you talking about?!" exclaimed one of the senators, "Things are already out of hand! There's panic in the streets, people are afraid to leave their homes, and lets not forget that giant robot still sitting in the middle of Manhattan!"  
  
"We don't even know where that robot came from!" reasoned one of the other senators.  
  
"All the more reason to hunt down whoever built it and contain whoever those freaks were!"  
  
"Then our course of action will be as follows: the National Guard and the rest of our police forces will be mobilized against the mutant threat," said the Speaker as he prepared a joint vote.  
  
Just then, two new occupants entered the hall of Congress amidst frightened gasps from weary congressmen.  
  
"Hold it! You can not vote until all sides are heard!"  
  
The Speaker of the House along with the majority and minority leaders looked on in shock as Storm and Beast approached the front of the great hall.  
  
"What are you doing in here?! This is a closed session! Especially to freaks!"  
  
"Call us what you will sir, but this is still a democracy. And you can't take action against something if you don't know all the facts," responded Beast.  
  
"We know enough!" responded one of the senators angrily, "We know you and your kind have been hiding from the law and are a major threat to the public at large!"  
  
"We mutants have lived in peace unknown from others for years," said Ororo as she tried to speak through all the anger and fear that hung strong over the room, "We have never caused any harm, broken any laws, or used our powers in violent ways."  
  
"Never caused any harm you say? What about that giant robot that caused nearly half a billion dollars worth of damage to downtown Manhattan!?" quipped the speaker.  
  
"That thing attacked us! We were merely defending ourselves and if we hadn't acted, more damage could have been done and people could have been seriously hurt."  
  
"Oh please!" said the Majority Leader in a non-believing tone, "How do we know that robot wasn't your doing!"  
  
"Why on Earth would we make a monstrosity like that?" reasoned Beast, "We just told you that thing attacked US!"  
  
"Perhaps...Or maybe you just couldn't control it!" said the Speaker.  
  
"Now you're just being paranoid!" responded Storm in a forceful tone against this man who was insinuating so many terrible things.  
  
"Don't insult me mutant! You say you've lived in peace alongside humans in secret for years...But why? What do you have to hide? Is it because you're just biding your time? I ask you my fellow members of Congress, should allow this kind of menace to threaten the pubic?"  
  
A loud din of agreement filtered throughout the halls of Congress as Storm and Beast stood in the center of this new government of hate. They could not leave though, if they did it would only confirm what the Speaker was saying and mutants everywhere would be in danger. They knew there were a lot of people counting on them now that the mutant secret had been exposed. As they stood before this Congress of hate, the two mutants could only hope for a miracle from the others.

* * *

Bullets, rockets, and bombs exploded as a fleet of helicopters and troops cornered the X-men outside the cave they had been hiding in. Soon, the helicopters were blaring an ominous message out the loudspeakers from the helicopters.  
  
"We have the area surrounded. Surrender immediately."  
  
"Yeah right," said Logan as he took cover with the others in the trees near the cave.  
  
Evan lined the dirt paths with spikes as jeeps and other off road vehicles came their way. Jean was forced to put up more telekinetic shields as bullets began to fly their way from the helicopters hovering above.  
  
"Great, what do we do now?" asked Rogue as she followed the others deeper in to the trees.  
  
"The same thing as last time...We run," grunted Logan knowing it was all they could do.  
  
Running away once more was not the answer the team had in mind. Lately it seemed that was all they were doing...Running. But they knew there was little else that could be done. Fighting the military would only make things worse for mutants.  
  
Just then, a helicopter descended down from the tree line and was directly above them packing large, heavy machine guns.  
  
"We got it!" said Kurt as he grabbed Kitty and teleported up to the cockpit.  
  
They appeared before the bewildered helicopter crew in a puff of smoke. There was little that could be done as the two mutants now blocked both of their view.  
  
"Hi, I'm Nightcrawler and this is Shadowcat," said Kurt casually.  
  
"And this is your helicopter on the fritz," said Kitty as she phased through the controls and short-circuited the system while Kurt grabbed the two men and teleported them to the top of a tree.  
  
As the helicopter crash-landed behind them, a narrow window of opportunity opened to them. The smoking craft blocked the narrow roadway leading to the other side where the X-jet was. It was here, under the cover of the trees, that they made a mad dash for the jet before they were overwhelmed again. Jean put up a small telekinetic shield to guard them from stray bullets and shrapnel, but the X-jet was in sight so she hoped it wouldn't be too long.  
  
"Can you keep the shield up Jeannie?" said Logan as more bullets rang out from the increasingly closer gun ships.  
  
"I...Think...So," said Jean as she struggled to concentrate because of the noise, "Just keep going and don't make me laugh!"  
  
Finally, the team found themselves near the side of the X-jet. They wasted no time as they scrambled through the doors. Scott and Logan frantically started the engines up as the helicopters got closer and closer. As Kurt and Kitty ported in, the plane began to shake, for they were now ready for take off.  
  
"GO! GO!" yelled Kitty as she and Kurt promptly took a seat and held their breath along with the others.  
  
As the X-jet took off vertically, the helicopters began firing at it. Some rounds hit, but it didn't stop the massive jet. Then, as they prepared to ignite the afterburners a barrage of rockets was sent flying their way. Most of the team closed their eyes, dreading the impact of the deadly projectiles. Kurt held on to Kitty's hand as everyone braced for the inevitable. Then...The afterburners kicked in and the powerful jet sped away from the action. A powerful sigh of relief came over the bewildered team as they struggled to catch their breath again.  
  
"Let's not do that again anytime soon," said Rogue as she tried to breathe deeply.  
  
"Amen to that," agreed Jean, as she tried to rest her tired mind.  
  
As the jet ascended to a higher, safer altitude, the team contemplated what to do now.  
  
"So what's our next move? How do we go about finding the Professor?" asked Kitty as the adrenaline from the battle they just took part in started to wear off.  
  
"Where there's a will, there's a way half-pint," said Logan, "We just need to retrace the Prof's steps and hope to find some answers."  
  
"That's it?" asked Evan knowing it wasn't a very thorough plan.  
  
"It's all we can do...For now."  
  
And with that, the team sped off towards their next destination not knowing what they'll find next.

* * *

Not far from the outskirts of Bayville, a group of bewildered soldiers came to after being nearly knocked in to oblivion by a renegade mutant. They looked back at the wake of destruction left behind in its wake. Vehicles were crushed, guns were bent and broken with bare hands, and nothing seemed to be able to stop whoever this powerful mutant was. As the last group of soldiers was sent flying from an unfortunate jeep, one of the soldiers grabbed his communicator and contacted his superiors.  
  
"Uh sir...I think were gonna need some major back up here."  
  
"How much?" responded the general.  
  
"Oh I don't know...Let's start with the army and...Go from there."  
  
Nothing stood in the unstoppable Juggernauts way as he made his way closer to the dam overlooking a small, yet moderately populated, town.  
  
"I'll teach you puny weaklings to lock me up...Now its payback time!" said Juggernaut with a sinister grin.

* * *

Back in the halls of Congress, things kept getting progressively worse for Storm and Beast.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen of Congress, I think we've seen enough of this charade!" said the Speaker as he eagerly pushed for the vote, ending this debate.  
  
"Charade!?" said Storm in disbelief, "This is character assassination! We are trying to plead our case and you just won't listen!"  
  
"Say what you will mutant, the evidence speaks for itself..."  
  
Then, a large video screen appeared behind the Speaker and the Congressional Leaders and a series of images flashed before the whole of Congress.  
  
"These, my fellow Congressmen, are photos taken from the ruins of the now destroyed Xavier institute."  
  
Storm and Beast watched with dread as images of the danger room and security system appeared for all to see.  
  
"Now I may not be familiar with the policies of this so called 'school.' But I'm pretty sure a place with more security than Fort Knox and a training ground that looks more fitted to soldiers than to students has a bit more to hide than a simple haven for mutants."  
  
More voices echoed out as this new revelation filtered through the Congress.  
  
"And it doesn't stop there...The so called 'students' that use to reside there and train in that area are a danger in themselves. Allow me to read a little background information on some of these mutants..."  
  
Hank and Ororo dreaded this. They knew that information about the past of the six students would be especially incriminating.  
  
"Let's start with Ms. Kitty Pryde. On the outside she looks like your normal, sweet teenage girl. But from what I've been told from our military investigators, she has the ability to walk through walls. I ask you Ms Munroe, what's to stop her from simply walking her way in to a bank vault and stealing every dime there is?! There's another one listed here; a Mr. Scott Summers. Now on the outside most people would think those sunglasses he always wears are just for looks, but according to our data, he can shoot powerful lasers out of his eyes that are strong enough to tear through solid steel! And keep in mind, this kid attends a local high school!!! Or should we mention a girl whose only name listed is Rogue, and can put somebody in to a coma simply by touching them!"  
  
A wave of voices echoed through the halls of Congress as the Speaker continued to scrutinize every aspect of mutants in general. They tried to speak up, but nobody was listening...The fear from this new phenomena was too great.  
  
"It doesn't look good Ororo," said Hank as voices of outrage grew within the large chambers of the Capitol.  
  
"I know...But we can't stop now. We have to keep trying..."  
  
As the X-jet passed over the far side of Bayville, one of the scanners on the control panel went off.  
  
"What's going on now?" said an exasperated Rogue Logan began to look in to the reading.  
  
"Oh no," he said under his voice.  
  
"What do you mean 'oh no?'" said Scott, dreading Logan's words.  
  
"I don't know how but he's escaped...Juggernauts escaped."  
  
"Who or what is Juggernaut?" asked Evan, knowing he probably wouldn't like the answer.  
  
"His real name is Cain Markos...He's the Prof's half-brother."  
  
"Half-brother?" said Kurt not knowing if he had heard right.  
  
"Yeah, half-brother. He's also a mutant...A dangerous mutant. His powers make him practically invincible to anything you throw at him. That's why they locked him up and threw away the key."  
  
"But if they locked him up...How'd he get out?" asked Kurt as he couldn't make complete sense of the situation.  
  
Logan just let out an angry grunt.  
  
"I don't know...But now that he's out and with the Professor missing...I don't see how he can be stopped."  
  
Logan didn't slow the jet down or head towards the source of the reading. He just kept flying away from it to the surprise of the rest of the team.  
  
"Wait, aren't we going to do something?" asked Jean.  
  
"We can't do anything about him until we find Xavier. If we try and fight him, it'll just cause more damage."  
  
"And leaving him as it is won't?!" quipped Jean.  
  
Logan let out a frustrated sigh as continued to grapple with the six young students. He had faced Juggernaut before and it was something he'd rather not remember. Nothing had ever stopped him before...Only the Professor could take him down with his psychic powers. And without him, it was nothing short of suicide.  
  
"The only way to stop the unstoppable is to hit his mind with a psychic blast that only the Prof can administer. That's it...Without the Professor, we're fucked."  
  
The rest of the team looked at the scanners and saw the tiny blip that was the unstoppable Juggernaut make its way across the screen.  
  
"Oh man, it looks like he's heading for the Lockport hydroelectric dam," said Scott as he looked at the screen.  
  
"Then we've gotta stop him!" exclaimed Evan, "If he takes that dam out then it's pretty much over for mutants everywhere!"  
  
Logan still wasn't about to turn the jet around, but then a large jolt shook the aircraft as it abruptly changed its course. At first he didn't know what had happened, but then he looked over to the co-pilot seat and saw that Scott had taken control of the plane.  
  
"What are you doing slim!? Turn this thing back around!" ordered Logan.  
  
However, Scott did not comply with Logan's demands.  
  
"Evan's right Logan, we have to do something about this guy before he hurts anybody," said Scott.  
  
"Are you nuts kid?! Did you just ignore everything I just said about this guy!? He can't be stopped without Xavier!"  
  
"You're forgetting two things Logan: One, we have another psychic right here with us," said Scott referring back to Jean, "Two, you trained us. And we're good...We're really good..."  
  
Logan looked back at Jean and the rest of the students. He knew nothing he said would change their minds. The ideals of the institute that he had helped teach them was still strong even in the wake of the destruction of their home. He didn't see how it could be done. He knew this could either make or break the public view towards mutants. But that wasn't the primary concern of the rest of the team. They had faced overwhelming odds before...And now they seemed destined to face them again.  
  
"Fine," grunted Logan, "But if yer going...So am I."  
  
Scott then ignited the afterburners as the jet sped back towards were Juggernaut was heading. Logan knew this mission was pretty much foolhardy, but there seemed to be no way around it. Fighting and losing seemed many times better than not fighting at all. Logan was skeptical that Jean's powers were strong enough to match the level of the Professor and he was even more doubtful that the public would see them as heroes even if they won. However, their path was set...And Juggernaut awaited them.

* * *

"Is that the best you can do?!" laughed the unstoppable Juggernaut as several missiles exploded around him, but did no damage.  
  
Explosions and bombs went off all around the area around Juggernaut, but it had no effect. The soldiers in the helicopters watched on in horror as everything that they tried against him failed. News helicopters hovered over the scorched battlefield as they broadcasted the event live on national TV.  
  
Then, as the helicopters circled around for another attack, the unstoppable leaped in to the air with super-human strength and slammed his massive fists in to the hovering crafts. Fire and explosions erupted from the craft as the pilots desperately scrambled to get out. No sooner than the first helicopter fell, did the powerful mutant jump towards another and crush it in to scrap metal.  
  
"Ha! You puny little weaklings can't stop me! Nothing can stop me!" bellowed Juggernaut as he made his way up to the dam.

* * *

Back in the chambers of Congress, the live feed from the dam was observed over on a large projection screen. Weary men and women of all sides watched in horror as the unstoppable Juggernaut tore through military machines and dam security like it was nothing.  
  
"Oh no..." muttered Ororo under her breath, "Juggernaut."  
  
She had faced the unstoppable before and she very well knew that without the Professor, little could be done. And it couldn't have come at a worse time for them. The live feed of raw destruction only fueled the fans of hate that had already permeated throughout the halls of Congress.  
  
"You see my fellow Congressmen! This is what they've been hiding under our noses the whole time! This is the kind of destruction that only one mutant can bring! Just imagine the devastation to this country, AND this world, if mutants are allowed to walk free!"  
  
A cheer of dismal agreement echoed through the chambers. It appeared that it would only get worse for the two mutants trying to plead their case. Just then, something else appeared on the screen.  
  
"Ro, look!" said Hank.  
  
Ororo looked up to see a new image being broadcasted over the projection screen. I brief glimmer of hope grew within her as she saw the X-jet speeding towards Juggernaut's position.

* * *

"Whoa...This guy has some serious anger issues," said Evan as he looked at the path of destruction left behind by Juggernaut.  
  
"You don't know the half of it kid," muttered Logan as the ship descended.  
  
Juggernaut had just taken out a cluster of electrical transformers and had left the whole town in the shadow of the dam without power. But he was soon faced with a new challenge as the X-men scrambled out of the jet towards his position. Despite this action, the unstoppable remained undaunted, for they did not have Xavier with them.  
  
"Ain't it past your bedtime kiddies?" taunted Juggernaut as the team descended upon him.  
  
"Great, just what we needed...A bad guy that thinks he's a comedian," said Kitty sarcastically as they now stood before the oversized mutant.  
  
Logan took the lead as he unsheathed his claws and prepared for battle.  
  
"We gotta remove that helmet of his! It makes him immune to psychics! Jeannie, you think you can pull this off if we give you a shot?"  
  
"Only one way to find out..."  
  
With numerous pieces of the shattered transformer around her, Jean used her telekinesis to launch a barrage of metal at the unstoppable Juggernaut. Scott added his optic blasts to the mix as Evan also launched a barrage of spikes at him. However, this did little to stop Juggernaut.  
  
"HA! If this is the best you've got, they you might as well surrender now!"  
  
"You know somethin' Cain? You talk too much!" growled Logan as he pounced on the unstoppable Juggernauts head and tore in to his helmet with his claws.  
  
This action only further enraged the ill-tempered mutant as he fought off the barrage of attacks.  
  
"Don't ever call me that name! I'm Juggernaut!" bellowed the angry mutant as he threw Logan off to the side.  
  
This briefly caused Scott, Jean, and Evan to stop their attacks.  
  
"Aww what's the matter? Lose your nerve?"  
  
But no sooner had he finished these words, did Kurt suddenly appear on top of him and undo one of the latches of his helmet.  
  
"HEY! GET BACK HERE FURBALL!" yelled Juggernaut as he grabbed Kurt's tail and flung him over the edge.  
  
"Oh no...Kurt," said Kitty as she watched this, but she was soon relieved when she saw Kurt teleport away and appear right in front of the cameras that were filming the whole incident.  
  
The camera crew fell back in shock as Kurt appeared suddenly out of thin air. But the blue mutant was soon to port back. However, before he left, that didn't stop him from waving to the cameras knowing this was probably being watched by the whole country.  
  
'There's my five seconds of fame,' thought Kurt as he teleported back in to the thick of the battle.  
  
Logan had recovered from being tossed aside and began to attack once more as the enraged Juggernaut continued his rampage. He kept trying to open up windows for the others to unlock the helmet or for Rogue to absorb some of his strength away, but so far they hadn't found many openings. Then, as the unstoppable mutant fought off another barrage of spikes and metal parts, he was clipped by one of Scott's optic blasts and lost his balance. As he fell, Kitty phased up out of the ground and used her powers to entrap him in solid rock. In the process she was able to unlock another latch, but the hold on Juggernaut was short lived.  
  
"THAT'S IT!" yelled Cain as he broke out of his stone entrapment much to the shock of the rest of the team, "YOU CAN'T STOP ME! I'M INVINCIBLE!"  
  
Then, with his superhuman strength, Juggernaut leaped to the top of the dam overlooking the small, darkened town in the distance. He was going to show the whole world his power and that he truly is the ultimate force.  
  
"I'M GONNA BRING THIS DAM DOWN!" bellowed the unstoppable as he slammed his massive fists in to the top of the dam, causing a large crack along to top side of the dam.  
  
"Mien Gott, he's really going to do it..." said Kurt as he and the rest of the team stood in amazement at Juggernaut's strength.  
  
"Not if we can help it," said Scott with a determined tone, "Kurt, port me up there. I'm gonna take care of that helmet of his. Jean...Are you ready for this?"  
  
"I think so..." said Jean as she took a deep breath to mentally prepared herself for this.  
  
"Good...Then leave the rest to us. We'll get that helmet off..."  
  
Jean knew she hadn't tried anything like this before. The Professor had shown her in the past that it was possible to send psychic surges in to one's mind, but she had never developed the power and control needed to even so much as try one. But now she was going to have to do it if this madman was to be stopped.  
  
As Kurt ported Scott to within twelve feet of the unstoppable, he set his visor to full power.  
  
"You still think you can stop me kid?!" taunted the unstoppable, "I've already shown you I can take anything you throw at me! Go ahead! Hit me with all ya got!"  
  
"If that's what you want...TAKE THIS!" yelled Scott as he let out the full force of his optic blast.  
  
A massive flash erupted from the visor and engulfed the unstoppable Juggernaut in a bright red light. The helmet he wore blew off and was sent flying in to the reservoir in a smoldering heap. The helmet was off, but the enraged mutant fought it as he struggled through the light and Scott struggled to keep the full power going. The news cameras below watched brilliant light show unfold and back in Washington, Congress watched with awe at the spectacle before them. However, Juggernaut wouldn't be stopped by even this power.  
  
"Is...That...The...Best...You...GOT!?" said Juggernaut through the intense ruby- colored light.  
  
"Actually...No!" said Scott as he tore off his visor and unleashed the full, unimpeded force of his powers.  
  
Juggernaut was sent back in wake of this new blast and actually struggled to fight it...But the power of the blast was all to great for Scott to sustain as the intensity began to waver as Scott's body started to fatigue. Slowly, the unstoppable inched his way closer towards Scott as he soon fell to his knees from exhaustion, but still kept to blasts going. Finally, after what seemed like an eternal struggle, Juggernaut got close enough to put his oversized hand over Scott's face to contain the blasts.  
  
"HA! YOU SEE KID?! YOU CAN'T STOP ME! NOBODY CAN STOP THE JUGGERNAUT!"  
  
'Jean...now...' said Scott weakly through their link as he fought the intense fatigue of his body.  
  
Soon, Juggernaut was sent flying back by a massive burst of telekinetic energy. Scott slammed his eyes shut as he collapsed to the ground. With the helmet gone, the final blow could be delivered to the unstoppable Juggernaut.  
  
"It's over Juggernaut...You're going down!" said Jean as she flung him away from Scott's tired body.  
  
Then, with a deep breath, Jean unleashed a powerful psychic blast in to the head of the unstoppable mutant. It was something she hadn't fully learned how to do, but she had no choice now.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Juggernaut as he clutched his head.  
  
The powerful mutant began to thrash wildly about as Jean began to increase the intensity. However, it wasn't stopping him. He began to stumble closer and closer towards her in an effort to stop the source of the psychic barrage, but soon he was stopped cold in his tracks...For Rogue had approached from behind as she saw Jean start to struggle against the unstoppable Juggernaut.  
  
"Looks like ya need a little help Jean," said Rogue as she proceeded to take off her gloves and grab the exposed skin on his face.  
  
Rogue felt an immediate surge of power throughout her body as the power of the unstoppable Juggernaut began to drain in to her. It was almost too intense for her to handle, but she held on as he continued to weaken.  
  
"Can't...Hold it...Much longer..." struggled Jean as she pushed her powers to the limit.  
  
Juggernaut was almost out cold, but was able to find the strength to knock Rogue off of him. But even with her off, he was still getting closer and closer to passing out from Jean's powers, which he had greatly underestimated.  
  
Just then, the powerful mutant was lifted up off the ground by brute strength. This time he could do nothing to fight it, for Rogue was now armed with his power and she was using it against him.  
  
"I...can't...be...stopped..." struggled Juggernaut as he tried to inch his way closer to Jean.  
  
"Aw, will ya shut the hell up!" said Rogue.  
  
Then, Rogue used her newfound strength to body slam the unstoppable Juggernaut on to the hard concrete. This time...He did not get up.  
  
Jean then collapsed to the ground, but was caught in Scott's ready arms as he fought off the pain and fatigue he felt from pushing his own powers.  
  
"I didn't know...That I could do that," said Jean in deep breaths as she tried to get her head straight.  
  
"But you did Jean. And you succeeded," replied Scott with a smile.  
  
As Jean struggled back to her feet, she looked in to his tired eyes and smiled back.  
  
"Hey guys!" yelled Evan as he and Kitty ran up towards them from the side.  
  
Soon, Kurt appeared as well with Logan via teleportation. Both mutants immediately went to Rogue, who seemed to be struggling with the power she absorbed.  
  
"Rogue...Are you okay?" said Logan as he and Kurt ran to her side.  
  
"Yeah..." said Rogue still slightly dazed, "Just so much power, and his memories are so strange and...And I know where the Professor is!"

* * *

The epic fight between the students of the Xavier Institute and the unstoppable Juggernaut went out live on national TV. In the halls of Congress a new round of bewilderment came over the chamber as representatives, senators, and congressional leaders watched the end result of the fight in amazement. Ororo and Beast couldn't help but smile at their students' triumph. Now, the cameras over the dam simply broadcasted the image of the victorious X-men over the airwaves.  
  
"What just happened here?" said the Speaker as he and his fellow leaders grew all the more confused by this new development. "What did those freaks just do now?"  
  
"Exactly what they were taught to do...Use their powers for good," responded Ororo.  
  
As the Congress took in this new development, the leaders were forced to grudgingly accept this new view that seemed to permeate throughout the rest of the legislative body.

* * *

The X-men had escorted the unconscious Juggernaut back to where he resided in Stokes County Maximum Security Prison. However, there was another reason for their visit. As they walked in to the central holding area that had once contained Juggernaut, they prayed that the memories that Rogue had absorbed were right.  
  
"I can't tell you what a shock this is to me, but...I guess we should have been more careful in our security containment," said one of the head prison officials as he escorted the X-men to the holding area.  
  
"Yeah...You should of," quipped Logan as he and the others waited anxiously for the guard to raise the containment tube that was built specifically for Juggernaut.  
  
As the tube rose, the team of mutants was greeted with a most surprised sight. Professor Xavier was floating unconscious in the strange liquid, but he was alive and well. As the strange substance drained away and the tube was opened, Scott and Jean quickly made their way up to his side and kept him from collapsing on to the floor.  
  
"Easy Professor, you're gonna be okay," said Scott as the others gathered around him in jubilation for their mentor's safe rescue.  
  
Professor Charles Xavier was safe and sound, but that did not change the fact that the institute was in ruins and the world now knew of the existence of mutants. However, the X-men had shown that they could use their powers for good before a live TV audience across the nation. It was enough to at least stop the senseless witch-hunt that had ensued after the revelation. However, there was still much work to be done. They had a home to rebuild and a whole new set of challenges to face.

* * *

That evening in the rubble of the institute, the team watched as the president delivered a historic speech that signaled the end of one thing, and the beginning of another.  
  
"My fellow Americans...All, my fellow Americans. A historic and unprecedented event has gripped our nation and our world in the past several days. The once fantastic notion of mutants is now a reality. While the implications of this event are still unknown, we must go forth with great care in hopes of maintaining peace throughout our great nation. The individuals responsible for the sentinel attack in Manhattan not long ago have been arrested and contained. The escaped mutant from Stokes County Prison has been returned to his domain. Action against this new phenomenon will come slowly now, for we must make certain that we make sound decisions for both the public...And mutants at large. We will take steps to ensure domestic safety, for we must give the question and issues over mutants...more time."

* * *

AN: That's it for now folks! Now how are the X-men going to fare when they return to school. Just when you think they've been traumatized enough, this happens to them. I know it's kinda cruel. But hey, the X-men just can't seem to ever cut a break. So what did you think of this rendition of "Stuff of Heroes" and the whole "Day of Reckoning" part in general? Please tell me! I'm eager to know! Send reviews to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. There's not much left to go in this long story! So stay tuned and thanks for reading thus far!  
  
REVIEW PLEASE!!! 


	37. Mainstream

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 36: Mainstream**

* * *

Here it is! The X-men's return to Bayville High! You wanted it, so I wrote it! I hope you like it, but before I begin...A word to my faithful reviewers!  
  
Sprocket: Thanks for the review! I really appreciate it!  
  
Darkness1: It's never too late to review my friend! I'm glad you liked the ending, because I really tried hard to stay true to the show. I'm glad you think my story is so much! Thanks for reading it and enjoy the chapter!  
  
Quill of Molliemon: Yeah, congress is full of jerks. I'm glad you liked the Juggernaut fight. It was pretty hard to do, but I'm glad you liked it! As for the question concerning the new recruits, I'm afraid I may not have the time to add them in. Sorry, but I think the story would run off on a tangent if I tried. I'm glad you liked the story! I hope you like "Mainstream!" Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Sentoris: Thanks for saying so many nice things about my story! And you're right, there aren't many chapters left, but I'll try to make them good! I always enjoy hearing from you and I hope you like my new chapter!  
  
Star-of-Chaos: Yeah, I enjoyed that part too! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Ranndie Mazda: I'm glad you like my version of Evo so much! It really means a lot to me because I've put so much effort in to this story. Thanks for the reviewing and I hope you like this chapter!  
  
KaliAnn: Thanks for your kind feedback! I hope you enjoy my version of "Mainstream!"  
  
IcyLeo: Sorry for the mistake, I'll try to fix it! I hope you like this chapter and thanks for reviewing!  
  
Oceanbang: I'm glad you like what I did with "Day of Reckoning." It was always one of my favorite episodes, but I felt it needed to be a bit more real. I'm honored that you think I have talent and I hope you like what I did with "Mainstream!"  
  
ASGT: Thanks for reviewing despite having to go to Minnesota! I hope you enjoy the chapter!  
  
Reddfire: Yeah! It's great to hear from you! Thanks for taking the time to read my story even though it's running pretty long. I hope you like this chapter and thanks again for your kind feedback!  
  
Enchantedlight: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! As for Romy, I am a die-hard supporter of them, but I'm afraid I won't have time to add them in to this story. There are only a few chapters left and I just don't think I'll be able to do it. Sorry, but rest assured I do have a future Romy fic in mind that I hope to write when I have time. Until then, I hope you enjoy the rest of this story. Thanks and enjoy!  
  
Idypebsaby: Thank you for saying such nice things about my story! I'm glad you agree with me that Evo didn't have enough emotion in it, so I did it myself! I'm so honored that you felt emotion I was trying so hard to portray and it really means a lot to me as a writer. I hope you like the last few chapters and thanks again for reviewing!  
  
Wen: As always, thank you my friend! I enjoyed you're comments, I always do! And I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Well, that's it for now! Time for "Mainstream!" Enjoy!

* * *

It had been a little over a week since the horrible events of the Sentinel incident. The institute was destroyed, the world knew about mutants, and team was not allowed back in to school out of fears from the parents of the other students. Since Professor Xavier's return, he had focused on getting the institute rebuilt and had a large construction crew on the grounds within days after returning. However, it would be a while before the new Xavier Institute would be ready. Until then, the X-men were forced to reside in a hidden living quarter that was deep underground and luckily, it was undamaged from the institute explosion. It was small, cramped, and there were no windows for sunlight to get through. Although it wasn't nearly as bad as some of the other places that the six teens had been forced to live in while they were on the streets, it was still a depressing place.  
  
In addition to the overall-depressing atmosphere of the underground area, there were few rooms in this underground place and some were forced to share bedrooms. Scott and Jean ended up sharing the same bed and so did Kurt and Kitty. This wasn't a new thing for them, for they had done it on the streets for years before they had even joined the X-men. But there was some initial protest from Logan, because he knew what happened when a guy and girl shared a room. It was no secret to him...After Scott and Jean had been dating for a month or so, he could smell the signs that they had been pretty intiment sexually. It took a while but they had gotten over their initial jitters that stemmed from terrible memories of the past and now it was almost common to him. Kurt and Kitty weren't that close to that point...Yet. But Logan knew that if they shared a room that might just instigate more. Despite this, the Professor whole-heartedly trusted his students to make the right decisions and knew that in the end, it would be good for the overall low morale of the team.

* * *

In the midnight hours in the underground resident area, Kurt tossed and turned anxiously in the bed that he shared with his girlfriend, Kitty. He couldn't sleep. In fact, nobody had been sleeping well in the whole institute since its destruction. He gave up trying for now and decided to get up for a while. It was then he noticed that Kitty wasn't in bed with him. Chances are she couldn't sleep either. With a groggy feeling still present in his eyes, Kurt made his way to the kitchen for a little midnight snack. But he was soon surprised to find that Kitty had beaten him to it.  
  
"Kitty?" said Kurt as he approached her from behind.  
  
"Kurt...You scared me," said Kitty as she turned around in a startled way from her modest little meal.  
  
"Sorry," said Kurt as he sat down next to her at the table, "So you couldn't sleep either?"  
  
Kitty just shook her head in a dazed state, for she seemed just as drowsy as Kurt.  
  
"Nope, can't stop worrying."  
  
"Worrying? About vhat?" asked Kurt upon hearing her reason.  
  
"What it's going to be like for us now that our secret is out."  
  
"Oh...That."  
  
"You've seen the papers lately haven't you? They're calling us freaks, monsters...Everything they can to make us sound completely inhuman."  
  
Kitty struggled with those last few words. Kurt gently put his hand over hers in an effort to calm her down. She soon returned the gesture, but she still looked weary about everything she had just mentioned.  
  
"I know...It hurts doesn't it?" said Kurt in an effort to comfort her.  
  
"Yeah...It does," said Kitty in a soft tone, "We haven't been called things this bad since we ran away."  
  
"Just like old times, ja?" said Kurt in a monotone voice.  
  
"That's for sure," agreed Kitty, "Now they won't even let us back in school."  
  
"That's not a certainty Kitty. I heard the Professor saying something about the school board giving us some kind of chance."  
  
"Really?" said Kitty with a small glimmer of hope in her eyes  
  
"Ja...Really," replied Kurt as he have her hand a gentle squeeze.  
  
For a brief moment, the two teens just sat there in silence, enjoying each other's company. Despite being scared about what the next day would bring, being in the presence of a loved one seemed to eclipse that great fear.  
  
"You know you still have a chance Kurt," said Kitty.  
  
"Vhat do you mean?"  
  
"The papers know us all by name now...But I noticed that they haven't identified you yet. They just call you 'the unknown blue demon.'"  
  
Kurt tried to hide the hurt he felt from those words, but he did a very poor job of it. But Kitty went on.  
  
"They don't know that it's you...They don't know you're Kurt Wagner."  
  
"But everybody knows that I live at the institute," reasoned Kurt still unsure of what she was getting at.  
  
"Yeah, but they still don't know that you're the blue mutant in the papers. And if they don't know it, than everyone at school probably won't."  
  
"Kitty...Vhat are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying that maybe you should take advantage of that. I mean...At least one of us should be able live a halfway 'normal' life at school."  
  
Kurt was somewhat shocked that Kitty would ask of something like this. He knew that everybody on the team desperately wanted things to be the way they once were before everything got so complicated. But they could never go back...  
  
Kurt gently gave Kitty's hand another gentle squeeze as he scooted closer to her.  
  
"I can't do that Kitty. I won't abandon you or the others. We're all in this together...We've always been in this together."  
  
"But still..." however, Kurt cut her off not wanting her to finish.  
  
"Do you really think...That after everything we've been through...That I would just up and abandon you for the sake of being 'normal?' I know I can never be normal...I accept that. You stood by me Kitty...And I will stand by you."  
  
Kitty didn't say a word as Kurt wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her close. She was soon felt relieved by Kurt's decision and almost felt angry at herself for even bringing such an idea up. She soon raised her head and gently kissed him as they just sat there in silence.  
  
Suddenly, the two mutants heard a strange noise from above.  
  
"Vhat vas that?" said Kurt in an alarmed tone.  
  
"I don't know...I think it came from the surface."  
  
"Let's check it out."  
  
Kitty simply nodded as Kurt grabbed her shoulder and teleported them to the area above. Upon appearing, they heard footsteps and laughter from an area of rubble nearby. Using extra caution, the two mutants went in for a closer look. Just then...A small group of teenagers wearing Halloween masks came bursting out of from the other side cheering and shouting as they ran towards a waiting truck and sped off in to the night. Kurt and Kitty stayed out of sight until they were gone and then went to investigate the area where they had come from. They stood in mild shock as they uncovered what these masked teens had done as they looked upon one of the few remaining walls still standing from the explosion that destroyed the institute. Kurt and Kitty stood in an even more demoralized manner as they read the writing on the walls.  
  
FREAKS!  
  
MONSTERS!  
  
DIE MUTIES DIE!  
  
GO HOME MUTANTS!  
  
Kurt and Kitty took in the fresh new graffiti. It was becoming almost a daily occurrence to have some kind of trespasser enter the grounds of the institute and express their hatred towards them. But it only made life more difficult than it already was for the teens that had faced too much of that kind of hate in their short lives.  
  
"Just like old times indeed," muttered Kurt as he and Kitty ported back underground, hoping to forget about the new horrors that they had yet to face.

* * *

As the team woke up the next morning to face another uncertain day, there was an unusual silence about the team. Breakfast had been a quiet affair since they had moved in to the underground area. There was really not much to say, for they had a long day ahead of them. There was rubble to be moved, charred pieces to be sifted through, and scrap metal to be collected. As they finished their meal, the Professor and Ororo entered the dining area with a faint sign of hope on their face. They had been at an early morning meeting with the school board, whom they had been debating with for days on end.  
  
"So how'd it go?" asked Scott.  
  
"Well, we got the school board to agree to let you back in for one week...Permitted that you don't use your powers," explained Xavier.  
  
"Well that shouldn't be too hard," said Kitty upon hearing the news.  
  
"However," said the Professor, "You will have to face severe probation."  
  
"How severe?" asked Jean wearily.  
  
Ororo sighed, for she knew that they weren't going to like what she was about to say.  
  
"It means that no after school activities, no clubs, and...No sports."  
  
"What?!" exclaimed Jean knowing that this meant no more soccer team.  
  
"They can't do that!" said Scott who didn't want to be kicked off the track team.  
  
"Please..." said the Professor as he attempted to calm his students, "I will continue to work with the school board and ease some of the restrictions...But let's just get through this first challenge. If we can convince others that you can attend school peacefully and without incident within the week, then they will let you back in completely. This is a vital step for mutants everywhere...And I know that it will be by no means easy."  
  
The rest of the X-men took the Professors words to heart. Nothing had ever been easy for them. Everything they had ever faced was ridden with pure conflict. This was no different...But it would be by far one of their hardest acts. It was tough enough coming from the depths of poverty and homelessness, but now they had to deal with that and the fear of others about what they really were.

* * *

Tensions ran high as the weary group of mutant teens drove in to the parking lot of Bayville High School. It was almost like the first day of school when they were faced with similar uncertainty, but this would be by far a lot harder. Now, everybody knew who they were and they were all alone in a hostile environment.  
  
"Okay everybody...Let's get this over with," said Scott as he turned off the engine and everybody started to file out.  
  
"Man...It feels like the first day of school all over again," said Rogue she tried to hide her fear of the coming day.  
  
"Yeah...Only this time, everybody knows the truth..." said Jean.  
  
"Yeah well...The truth is way overrated," scoffed Evan who wasn't looking forward to the confrontations he knew he and his friends would have to face.  
  
As the team of mutants came in to the sights of the rest of the students, they were greeted with a swarm of weary looks. Everybody was staring at them as if they had two heads. Soon they could hear a large din of chatter between everybody there as they continued to stare intently at the six mutant teens. It wasn't long before the quiet chatter turned in to all out shouts directed towards them.  
  
"FREAK!"  
  
"WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE! GO HOME!"  
  
Evan wanted to lunge towards the guys who said that and impale him with spikes, but Kurt held him back knowing that wouldn't help one bit. More and more comments like that kept coming their way as they made their way to the door. Soon, a cluster of boys sporting Bayville jackets was blocking their paths. Jean knew them all too well, for they were Duncan's old posse. They had already been giving her a hard time since Duncan went to prison, but now it was clear it could only get worse.  
  
"You got a lotta nerve coming back here you fucking muties," said one of the jocks.  
  
"Hey...Back off," said Scott sternly.  
  
"Oh and what are you gonna do about it, huh?" said one of the other guys with a snide tone, "Use your powers?"  
  
The others laughed tauntingly at them, for they knew they couldn't respond.  
  
"Don't think we're gonna sit by and let freaks like you take over our school. You won't last the week...I guarantee you that!"  
  
And with that, the group of jocks left them, but not before sending one last snide look at them. They were making it clear that they had no intention of letting things come easy.  
  
"Think we made a friend..." said Evan sarcastically as they entered the school with a great deal of uncertainty.

* * *

Professor Charles Xavier watched as large groups of workers sifted trough and cleared out the rubble of the old institute in order to begin construction on the new one. Beast and Storm were helping as best they could with some of the labor. It was going much quicker than they had expected and it was a welcome change of luck for the X-men. As Xavier surveyed the construction sight, Logan approached him from behind.  
  
"Did they leave already?" asked Logan referring to the others.  
  
"Yes...Little over and hour ago."  
  
"Then I guess you were partially successful with the board. But tell me Chuck...What are their chances of staying in school?"  
  
The Professor paused for a brief moment, contemplating his response.  
  
"Well, not very good to say the least old friend."  
  
Neither of them said anything after that, for they knew there was not much else that could be done about it. The schools were afraid of them...Hell, the whole world was afraid of them.  
  
"Figures," grunted Logan, "I'm goin' for a bike ride. I need to get some air."  
  
The Professor didn't argue, for he knew something had to be done to keep the spirits of the team up. Things were bad enough with the institute being destroyed and the students having to face a much more hostile world than before. Their world was bad enough before the X-men and now some of that darkness seemed to be returning as they faced even more hostility towards them in place that feared and hated them.  
  
"I hope they're okay," said Xavier to himself as he worried for the well being of his students.

* * *

Scott Summers fell back against a statue as he tried to filter out the snide laughter of the seven jocks that had been hounding him and his friends earlier. This timed they were joined with a group of overly popular girls who shared their distaste of mutants. Now they were making good on their promise to make their lives hell, but pushing him to fight back. Scott had just been walking to class with Jean when they were ambushed and forced to defend themselves. They were surrounded and couldn't get away as three of the oversized football players cornered Jean and knocked Scott back.  
  
"Come on bitch! Show me what powers you've got! I dare ya!" said one of the jocks as he shoved Jean back against one of the cheerleaders that had chosen to join the hazing.  
  
"Nah, she won't...If she does...She and the rest of her mutie friends get expelled," said one of the girls with a snide grin.  
  
"Hey! Leave her alone!" yelled Scott who was desperately trying to hold back his anger.  
  
He could handle being beaten up and hazed himself, but he didn't want it to happen to Jean. As he tried to push his way through the cluster of jocks he was shoved right back against a stone statue. This time one of the jocks took his glasses and wore them on his face just to taunt him.  
  
"Hey look at me...I'm a freak!" taunted the jock as he and his buddies laughed.  
  
Scott had to keep his eyes closed as he got up and prepared to fight. He wasn't going to take this lying down. He had been beaten up enough in his old school and he didn't want that to happen again. His old school was something that he still had nightmares about to this day. Jean was no different. In fact, they often shared nightmares of their old schools even when things got better for them. Now those memories were coming back with a vengeance.  
  
"Go ahead...Open your eyes Summers! You'll be doing this school a favor..."  
  
Scott was very tempted to take the dumb jock up on his offer, but just then Rogue and Evan joined the scene.  
  
"Hey! Back off man!" yelled Evan, who had seen enough.  
  
"You're pretty small to be picking a fight with seniors kiddies," said one of the senior girls as she approached the two mutants.  
  
"Go ahead...Come closer...Just try and lay a hand on me," said Rogue, who actually hoped that they would take her up on her offer.  
  
"Yeah, and get expelled in the process!" laughed one of the jocks.  
  
Just then, Scott lunged forth and grabbed him by the collar and actually lifted him up off the ground. The other jocks that were surrounding Jean stopped and hurried over to their friends aid.  
  
"What are ya gonna do freak? Open your eyes and blow me away?" said the boy as he still felt unthreatened by Scott's actions knowing they had leverage.  
  
Scott just looked back at him with an expression on his face that could melt steel. It was somewhat unnerving to the boy because it looked like he might actually do it.  
  
"You're really starting to tempt me pal! Right now, you're making staying in school as low on my priority list as possible and teaching you and your friends a lesson my major cause for concern. Now if you've seen the news you know what my power is and why I have to wear those glasses. And if you don't leave me and my friends alone...Then I'll be forced to remind you!"  
  
Fear overtook the group of jocks and cheerleaders, as the tone in Scott's voice seemed all too serious to ignore. Scott then let down the boy and they all left the area, but not before flashing them snide looks as if to say 'this isn't over.' Jean then ran over to Scott and put his ruby-quartz glasses back on his face and through their link, she felt him calm down.  
  
"Were you really gonna blow him away man?" asked Evan, who thought Scott might have actually been serious because of the tone he used against the dumb jocks.  
  
"No..." said Scott in a softer voice, "I was bluffing."  
  
"Yeah...I know," said Jean as she locked arms with him and they went off to class.  
  
Scott and Jean gradually felt themselves calm down, for this little ordeal seemed to be over for them. They were lucky to have classes together so at least they could support each other when things got rough. They knew this was just a prelude for the things to come. But at least they had each other for support. Rogue and Evan then walked off to their respective classes as well, however they were reluctant to part because that would mean that they would be alone in facing the class as mutants.

* * *

As Kitty approached her locker to retrieve her books for the day, she was greeted with an unwelcome sight. The word 'freak' had been spray-painted on to her locker. She knew anybody could have done it, so she wasn't going to bother trying to figure it out. It had been made clear earlier that most people didn't want mutants in this school. It was a grim reminder of the kind of hate she was going to face. Just then, Kurt came up to her from behind and saw the writing on her locker.  
  
"Don't listen to them Kitty," assured Kurt, who had his inducer on.  
  
Kitty just sighed, knowing that would be hard with the kind of people around her and the memories of what being treated like this in the past bought.  
  
"You're still wearing your inducer?" asked Kitty curiously.  
  
Kurt just sighed and rubbed the back of his head, knowing what Kitty meant.  
  
"Yeah...I'm just not ready for the rest of the school to see me...The real me. I'm sorry but it's just..."  
  
Kurt struggled to find the right words, but Kitty soon felt like she knew what he was getting at.  
  
"It's okay Kurt...I understand," said Kitty as she gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.  
  
They knew this was going to be a hard day. They both went to elementary school together as kids and the constant teasing and hazing there was bad enough. It was still something they struggled with to this very day. But they had survived that experience together so they could only hope to do the same with this one. Just then a group of older girls approached the two young mutants.  
  
"Hey Kurt...What are you doing hanging around with this freak?" said one of the girls.  
  
Kurt didn't answer.  
  
"Come on! Didn't you see the news? She's one of those damn mutants! Why are you still going out her?" asked another one of the girls.  
  
"I'll bet he's a mutant too!" said the third girl as she looked at Kurt with a disgusted expression on her face. "Freaks only date other freaks."  
  
"Is that true Kurt? Are you a freak just like her?" asked the first girl.  
  
"Come on Kurt let's get out of here," said Kitty who didn't wish to stay here any longer.  
  
However, Kitty's path was blocked by one of the girls. They had not intention of letting her get out of this that easily.  
  
"We asked you a question Wagner! Are you or aren't you a freak like her?" said the girl blocking their way.  
  
Kurt just looked back at them with a stoic expression.  
  
"Yes...I am. Now please...Get out of the vay."  
  
The three girls just looked at Kurt with an angry, disgusted look. But they did walk away, allowing both Kurt and Kitty to breathe a welcomed sigh of relief.  
  
"Thanks Kurt," said Kitty gratefully.  
  
The blue mutant could only smile back.  
  
"That's vhat I'm here for Kitten."  
  
After that, the two mutants walked off to class still unsure of what the day may bring. They had already faced their first challenge, but things promised to get even worse as they felt others stare at them with looks of anger, fear, and resentment. This was only the beginning, and it only promised to get worse.

* * *

Logan had been riding on his motorcycle for over an hour now. He had no destination in mind; he just wanted to get away from the overall depressing atmosphere of the institute. The wind in his hair and the sound of the engine helped him forget about all the problems with the institute and mutants being exposed to the world. Logan had done his best to ignore all the terrible things the media was saying about mutants, but sometimes he found that impossible.  
  
As he sped past a speeding truck, another motorcycle pulled up besides him. At first Logan didn't look too hard at it, but then the rider of the other motorcycle flexed his arm and suddenly, his skin turned to metal. Logan let out a wolfish grunt, for he knew this was one of Magneto's henchmen. However, before he could do anything about it the metal mutant known as Collosus attempted to run him off the road. Logan kept his balance, but that just enraged the Wolverine even more.  
  
"Now it's on asshole!"  
  
Then, Logan turned his bike on to a dirt road off to the side of the main highway, where Collosus soon followed. He kept up at a close pace as Logan drove along the rough roadways. Along the ways, Logan unsheathed his claws and cut through some trees trying to block the Russian mutant's ways. However, he proved to be tough as the debris did little to slow him down. As they got along the opening of the unpaved dirt road, Collosus was finally able to pull up besides him. Logan looked over with an angry expression in his eyes as he contemplated his next move. But before he could do anything, Collosus turned his bike and forcibly slammed himself in to Logan.  
  
The bike skidded off the road, but Logan jumped off. The Canadian mutant then unsheathed his claws and prepared to face Collosus one on one. As the Russian mutant turned around on his bike, he killed the engine and stepped off his bike and approached the angry Wolverine.  
  
"I do not wish to fight you comrade," said Collosus through his thick Russian accent.  
  
"Could've fooled me bub! What do you want?" bellowed Logan as he was still prepared to tear in to his foe with a vengeance.  
  
Collosus remained stoic in his expression towards Logan.  
  
"Magneto wishes to extend an offer to you and your fellow X-men. He offers you full admittance in to his new team."  
  
"You gotta be shitin' me!" said Logan in disbelief, "Magneto wants us to JOIN him!?"  
  
"Yes...That is all he wishes. And that is all he told me to say."  
  
Logan knew this didn't smell right. Something was definitely wrong with this whole thing. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but whatever it was he knew that this mutant Collosus hadn't come here by his own free will. And by the look on his face, he couldn't care less about this message he was delivering.  
  
"Why are you working for Magneto bub? Do you really believe what you're saying?"  
  
His expression didn't change, but through Logan's astute sense of sight, he knew it had faltered.  
  
"No...I don't."  
  
"Then why do you work for him? What leverage does he have over you?"  
  
The Russian mutant just turned away and got back on his bike.  
  
"I cannot tell you Wolverine. It is too complicated to explain."  
  
"Well maybe the X-men can help you. You've made it pretty obvious that you don't believe in Magneto's dream any more than I do."  
  
There was a brief pause. Logan could tell that Collosus knew there was a great deal of truth in his words. However, he didn't say anything.  
  
"Like I said...It's too complicated to explain. You wouldn't understand."  
  
Collosus didn't wait for him to respond this time. He just sped off on his bike back towards the highway at full speed. For a while, Logan just stood there. Magneto had the nerve to ask him and the others to join him. And from what he could tell, his methods were far from honest. Logan had always known Magneto and Mystique to be devious in recruiting others. He only hoped he wouldn't try the same thing with the students. Either way, things definitely looked bad for both him and the others, as the world itself seemed to be against them.

* * *

AN: Well, that's it for now. Mainstream is over, and "The Stuff of Villians" is up next! Don't miss it! There aren't many chapters left in this story! I know it's been long, but just a few more to go before it's all over. To all the people who have reviewed this story since its inception so long ago, I can't thank you enough! But the end is in sight, and I hope you all like it! Please! Don't stop sending reviews! Send them to me at slickboy444aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. Thanks and best wishes to you all!  
  
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING! 


	38. The Stuff of Villians

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 37: The Stuff of Villains**

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* * *

You know the drill my faithful readers, before I begin I must answer the call of my fellow reviewers!

KSimonT-X: I'm glad you like my story despite its depressing nature. I just wanted X-men to be a bit more 'real' in this story. Thank you so much for saying so many nice things about it and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mrs. Myxztipik: If you haven't seen that episode, I highly recommend you view it! It's one of the best episodes of Evo in my opinion. I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope you like this one as well!

Idypebsaby: Yeah, kids can be very cruel. Believe me, I've experienced it! As for Colossus, I'm pretty sure they explained that Magneto kidnapped his sister in one of the episodes that dealt with Apocalypse. However I could be wrong on that. I'm glad you thought the school scene was so profound...I don't think the original dwelled on it enough. They should have gone deeper in to the kind of feelings that most of students at the school felt towards mutants initially. As for the ending...It's coming very soon! I hope you like how this story ends because I've been working on it for a long time and I have put an enormous amount of thought in to the ending. I hope you like it and thank you for such a profound review!

Agent-G: I'm sorry to say that the story is almost over! There is just one chapter left! And thanks again for correcting me on the Juggernaut thing! I hope you like this chapter and thanks for your kind review!

Kaliann: Thanks a bunch for the review! I hope you like the new chapter!

Enchantedlight: As always, it's good to hear from you my friend! Thanks for the review and I hope you like the chapter!

Sentoris: Yeah, I agree with you on Kurt's actions in the original. I just had to change them because that was just a bit too out of character in the show in my opinion. And don't get me started on Marvel's character profiles...They have totally screwed it up in the comics and they had some issues with it in the show as well. They either make the characters to bland or too complex. And yes...This story is almost over! There is only one chapter left! I can't thank you enough for reviewing my story thus far and I hope you like how I end this long story! Enjoy!

Jean: I'm glad you like this story! I'm a Jott fan as well. I hope you like the new chapter and don't worry, there will be one more Scott/Jean moment in the end! Thanks again and enjoy!

Quill of Molliemon: Don't get me started on high school kids and politicians. I don't want to go off a rant so I won't. And I'm glad you liked my change in Kurt's actions from the series. I just thought that was too out of character. Thanks for the review and enjoy the chapter!

Star-of-Chaos: Yeah, I think Kurt should have done better than in the show. That's why I changed it in my story. I'm glad you liked it and I hope you like the chapter!

Ranndie Mazda: I hope I don't disappoint you with the ending. As for a sequel, I don't think I'll have time because I have so many other stories in the works! Thanks for reviewing and enjoy the chapter!

Communist Penguin: I'm honored that you like my version of Evo. It's taken a lot of hard work and effort to write it and I'm glad others such as you have taken the time to read it. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the last two chapters!

Random Reader: I'm glad you have reviewed thus far my friend! There is only one chapter left so I hope I don't disappoint! Thank you very much and enjoy!

ASGT: I'm honored you think my version is on par with the real Evolution, and I hope you like how I end the story! Enjoy!

The White Dwarf: Thank you so much for saying I have talent! This story has been a real challenge and a real joy to write. It's good to hear that like this story despite the earlier angst. I hope you like how I end it and thanks again for your kind words!

SHAWN PROVONCHA: Thanks for the review! I hope you like how I end this story and thank you so much for reading it!

Darkness1: Thank you so much for the review! The realism was defiantly a challenge for me to write. But I have been bullied myself, so I had the advantage of personal experience. And I'm glad you like what I did with the Kurt situation because I always felt that the cartoon made him a bit too out of character in that episode. By the way, don't worry about the late review, I don't mind. At least you took the time to read my story and that's what really matters to me. I hope you like how this story has gone and I hope you like how it will end! Thanks again and enjoy!

Wen: Once again a very special thanks to you for your wonderful comments my friend! Thanks for reading and please keep up with your stories as well! Peace out!

Well, that's it for now! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

"This argument is over Xavier!" yelled an angry Principal Kelly, "And don't you dare try any of your telepathic mind tricks on me!"

"Please Principal Kelly, I beg you to reconsider this," said the Professor who remained undaunted by his harsh words. "You can't just expel my students without giving them a chance at proving themselves. You have no probable cause in doing so."

Principal Kelly looked back at Xavier with a great deal of anger and hate in his eyes. It had only been one day since his students were allowed back in to school, but no sooner had they arrived did a fight break out. While the Professor whole-heartedly believed his students when they said they didn't cause the fight, Principal Kelly was not nearly as understanding. Now he had used his influence to push up the date of the school board meeting to tonight, where the ultimate fate of his students' future at school would be determined.

"Believe me Xavier, I have plenty of cause!" quipped Kelly, "I can simply use the fact that your students got in to a fight before they even got to their first class today. Or maybe I should bring up the blatant lies you gave me back in September when you enrolled them!"

After that, Principal Kelly threw a simple, yellow folder at him.

"An eye condition, a seizure disorder, and a skin disease? Not only are your students going to face the blunt end of the law, but so will you for forging fake medical documents!" blasted Kelly as the Professor simply sat there and was forced to face this man's raw anger.

"These documents didn't lie...My students did technically have these ailments. I had a licensed doctor confirm them," explained the Professor who was trying to quell this man's ongoing rage.

"Ah yes, it was confirmed by one of our own teachers Mr. Hank McCoy. And now he's a confirmed mutant living at your institute," said Kelly in an unconvinced tone, "Do you really expect me to believe that someone with your kind of money and your kind of connections wouldn't have some form of illegitimate dealings in this matter? Not only are your students guilty, but so are you!"

Not many people could make Xavier lose his temper, but Edward Kelly was definitely pushing him to the limits.

"My students..." began Xavier using a firmer tone of voice, "Were the victims in that fight. They were backed in to a corner and forced to defend themselves! Now you're not even going to discipline those who started this fight, only those who ended it. That is not only a great hypocrisy on your part, but against school rules as well!"

"Don't lecture me about school rules Xavier!" bellowed Kelly as he slammed his fists on his desk, "Your students will face the consequences like all mutants should! And it will start at the school board meeting tonight!"

The anger in Principal Kelly's voice made it final. And there was no more room left for argument.

"This discussion is over..."

And with that, Xavier then turned around to wheel himself out. However, before he was out of the door, Principal Kelly had one last thing to say.

"And on a more personal note Xavier...I think you should know that this is my last year as principal of this school. Next year I will be running for mayor of Bayville. It will be the first steps towards my ultimate dream...A seat in Congress. And rest assured I will use whatever power I have to make it so mutants like you and your students can't threaten the public."

Professor Xavier didn't respond to that, for he didn't want this to escalate anymore. Kelly had made it clear that he would not be dissuaded by his words. Things seemed to be going downhill for mutants everywhere and not just his students. He cringed at the thought of someone like Edward Kelly wielding political power and he knew that it would only hurt mutants everywhere. Now his students would be forced to defend themselves in front of the entire school board tonight and face all the bigoted hate towards them. As the Professor wheeled out to meet Ororo at the car, she noticed the solemn look on his face.

"How'd it go?" asked Ororo wearily as Xavier was lifted in via special mechanism.

"Not as I had hoped Ororo. Kelly just wouldn't listen to reason...He seems totally committed to expelling all our students without even hearing them plead their case."

"So I guess that means the school board meeting has been pushed to tonight?" asked Ororo as the car began to move.

"I'm afraid so...And if we can't convince the members to at least give them a chance and see past the views of men like Principal Kelly, then all the hard work our students have done will have been in vain."

Ororo didn't know how to respond to her mentor's words. The hopes for the students that they had worked so hard to help after suffering so much for so long, were now greatly in question. They had broken no rules in the time they had attended Bayville High School. And now it seemed that they would be kicked out just because of their genes. Things were bad enough for them...And now it just seemed as if it was only going to get worse.

"On a lighter note Ororo, I think you should know that since the phones have been reactivated we have been receiving quite a few calls."

"Really? From who?" asked Ororo curiously.

"Mainly from the families we met in the weeks before the Sentinel incident. I've talked to the Drakes, the Worthingtons, the Braddocks, the Lees, and the Madoxes; and they all said that they were willing to give the institute a try once it has been rebuilt."

"Really!" said Ororo as she felt the first glimmer of hope in what seemed like forever. "What made them change their mind?"

Ororo had been on some of those recruiting missions and she knew first hand how hostile some of the parents were. They wanted to believe that their children were sick rather than gifted. It was quite a shock to learn that they had a change of heart after facing all their hostility.

"They saw the Sentinel incident like everyone else. Now they can't deny the existence of mutants...And they can't deny what their children really are. They, like most parents, only want what's right for their children. Which is why we must convince the school board not just for the students we have now...But the students that we have yet to gain."

* * *

"You want ME to speak? In front of the school board and the entire PTA!" said Jean Grey in disbelief at the Professor's request. 

It came to no surprise of Jean and the rest of the students that he hadn't been able to change Principal Kelly's plan to push up the school board meeting to tonight. This meant that they wouldn't even have the week they were promised to show that they could handle school without using their powers.

"Yes, I think they would really listen to you," said the Professor as he tried to justify his reasons.

"Professor...Just because I'm a good students doesn't mean I have public speaking skills. They need to hear from somebody who actually knows what they're talking about and I can't give them that," said Jean, not feeling convinced by the Professor's words.

"Jean, I can't give them all the right reasons because I can't put myself in your shoes. I could give them all the scientific data about mutants in the world, but they need to hear from the very people that they are threatening to expel. If they are to make a sound decision about this, they should hear our side first hand from someone who can truly justify it."

Jean didn't expect the Professor to ask her to actually speak. It would be in front of the whole PTA and school board, and knowing Kelly he would probably bring the press as well. She was never the best public speaker, and with stakes so high she couldn't help but feel the lingering doubt in the back of her mind.

"But...What should I say?" asked Jean, still weary of going through with this.

"Whatever you have to my dear. I have faith in you and so do the others. Just say what needs to be said before it's too late," said the Professor as he tried to bolster Jean's spirits.

Jean Grey simply sighed, for there would be a lot of pressure on her if she did choose to speak. But now, it seemed that there was no turning back from confronting this new challenge.

"Okay...I'll do my best Professor."

The Professor then smiled back at her, glad that she had made this decision.

"Thank you Jean. And don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine."

And with that the Professor wheeled himself out, leaving Jean to contemplate what she was going to say in the name of mutants everywhere.

Jean then made her way back to the room she was sharing with Scott until the institute was rebuilt. When she walked in he was simply lying on the bed, strumming his new electric guitar that he had bought shortly before the institute was destroyed.

"What cha playing?" asked Jean casually as she took a seat next to him.

"Just some tune I've had in my head for a while now. I'm still trying to put some decent lyrics to it but..." Scott soon found himself trail off as he kept playing the strangely haunting tune.

The music helped Jean to relax for the first time that day. The looming school board meeting now preoccupied her mind almost completely, for she didn't know what she was going to say. She didn't know what she could say that would change anybody's views.

"Is something wrong Jean?" asked Scott as he stopped strumming his guitar.

Jean just sighed. She knew by now that it was hard to hide her fears around somebody she shared a powerful mind link with.

"The Professor want's me to speak tonight at the school board meeting," said Jean plainly, still slightly spooked by it in general.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, in front of everybody. The PTA will be there, the school board will be there, and Principal Kelly will probably bringing the press as well," said Jean in an exasperated tone, "Talk about pressure."

"Don't worry you'll do fine Jean," assured Scott as he started to pluck a few strings on his guitar.

"I don't know Scott...I really don't know if I can do this," said Jean still full of doubt, "This is going to be in front of practically everybody. If I say just one wrong thing...Just one single word that could be taken out of context or interpreted differently...Then mutants everywhere will suffer. And it will be because of me."

Scott put his guitar away and scooted closer to her. He gently wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead.

"Don't think like that Jean. I know you'll do great. Just don't worry about the little things like that. Just speak from your heart," said Scott trying to get her more confident about this.

Scott had tried not to make his words sound clichèd, but it was the simplest thing he could offer her. He knew it would undoubtedly be a hard thing to do, but he had faith in her more than anybody else to do it.

"I wish it were that simple Scott...But it's just...I'm no public speaker. I don't see how I could change anybody's mind about this," said Jean doubtfully.

Scott just smiled warmly back at her.

"Funny. If my memory serves me right, a very certain redhead once changed my mind when we were hiding in a cave and I had lost practically all hope. She reminded me that all was not lost...And that I should see things differently. That beautiful redhead...Inspired not just me, but the others as well."

Jean slightly blushed at Scott's words as she too recalled the memory of what she said to Scott back in that cave.

"But...That was different it..." Jean couldn't find the right words to finish her thoughts as Scott hugged her a little closer to him, trying the get her to put aside all those inhibitions that plagued her mind.

"No it's not Jean...Just speak to them in the same way you spoke to me that day. Trust me...You'll do great."

After a brief pause, Jean finally managed to smile.

"Thanks Scott."

"Anytime Jean. That's what I'm here for," said Scott as he smiled back.

They sat in silence for a brief moment, just enjoying each other's company. Then, Scott suddenly had an idea pop in to his head and soon got up.

"Where are you going?" asked Jean curiously.

"I need to talk to the Professor...I have an idea that might help."

* * *

Evan Daniels was not having a good day. School had been a nightmare for him and his friends. The day they come back his skateboarding friends abandon him, people taunted him with mutant slurs, and they even tried to pick a fight with his friends. He had almost used his powers at one point because messing with his friends was something he always defended with a passion. As he sat in his room, casually bouncing a tennis ball off the wall, he heard a knock at the door. 

"It's open..." said Evan callously.

Scott then entered with his guitar in hand and a somewhat hopeful look on his face.

"Evan, you got a minute?" asked Scott.

"Yeah, plenty. What's up man?"

"You probably know that Principal Kelly pushed up the date for the school board meeting already. And you probably know it's going to be a big event with the media there."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, Jean's already going to speak, but I think we could do even more to help people hear us out. Remember a few weeks ago when you said I should write a song as a sales pitch for the institute?"

"Yeah but...Oh. Oh I see now," said Evan as it soon dawned on him what Scott was getting at.

"I got a melody I've been working with, but I need some help with the lyrics. You're a good poet and we don't have a lot of time. So what do you say?"

Evan didn't have to think much about this before he gave his answer.

"I say...Let's get to work!"

* * *

The sun was now beginning to set over the horizon, as the time of the meeting grew ever nearer. Jean had been practicing what she was going to say with Kurt, Rogue, and Kitty and Scott was still with Evan in the main living area working on some strange song. Time seemed to move by in a blur as the hour of truth was finally upon them. The Professor, Beast, and Ororo left early in order to help set everything up and get a feel for what they would be facing at the meeting. Logan was still out so it looked as if he wouldn't be able to show up. Now, the six remaining X-men stood ready to face the public. This was definitely going to be a challenge for them. But they had faced major challenges before and this one was no different. However, it didn't mean that they would succeed. 

"Home sweet hole in the ground," said Kurt sarcastically as he and the others exited the elevator and piled in to the car.

"Everybody ready?" asked Scott as he started the engine.

The rest of the team simply nodded still unsure what this meeting would bring.

"As ready as ever..." said Jean as she the X-men nervously awaited their fate.

And with that, they finally drove off towards the school.

The team didn't talk much along the way. There was not much to be said. This meeting would make or break their futures and the pressure on the young teens seemed all too much to handle...But they didn't have a choice. In their lives, they never had many choices. And this was just another case. As they drove within blocks of the school, something happened...

"What the!" said Scott as he and the others felt a powerful jolt.

The car was suddenly ripped towards the side of the road by a powerful, unseen force. Scott lost all control of the car as they skidded in to an open baseball field. When it finally came to a stop, a familiar presence descended from the sky. Upon seeing whom it was the team quickly filed out of the car and prepared for battle.

"Still Xavier's soldiers I see," scoffed Magneto as he hovered before them.

He knew that the six mutant teens were probably going to fight him, but he did not come here to fight.

"What do you want Magneto?" said Scott angrily as he prepared to fire an optic blast at the master of magnetism.

"Please...Is that really necessary?" said Magneto in an annoyed tone.

Then, the metal gates and fences of the baseball field were ripped from the ground under the influence of Magneto's powers and soon it incased the X- men in a whirlwind of metal.

"Believe it or not, I didn't come to fight...I came to talk," said Magneto as he hovered in closer.

"Yeah? Well talk!" said Evan as he lined his arms and torso with spikes.

"I came here to extend an offer to you."

"We don't want anything from you!" said Jean, who didn't want to hear any of Magneto's genocidal babble.

"I wouldn't be so hasty Ms. Grey."

"Spare us the lecture pal!" said Kitty. "It's because of you all this happened! If you hadn't forced that sentinel on us, we wouldn't be having this problem!"

Magneto remained undeterred by the young girl's angry words.

"I only sped up that which was inevitable. Mutants can't hide forever from the rest of the world. Every day now, more and more X-genes are manifesting across the globe. The mutant growth rate is increasing exponentially. And it will soon leave the weak homo sapiens in the evolutionary dust. Keeping mutants a secret was only impeding the progress of civilization."

"You think that justifies what you did!" yelled Scott back at the master of magnetism, "It's because of you everybody fears us now!"

"You will always be feared X-men," responded Magneto sternly as he continued to make his point across to the young teens. "Humans will always fears that which it doesn't understand. And with their weak minds they can never hope to fully grasp the power of evolution. Mutants are the future whether they like it or not and no matter what...No matter how much you plead for peace or how many battles against the forces of hate you win...They will still fear you in the end."

Magneto's words tried to strike a chord with the six teens, but it wasn't having the desired outcome.

"That doesn't make your dream any less crazy!" replied Scott.

"Crazy? You think I'M crazy? Open your eyes X-men! How much longer will it be before you realize the truth and accept your own destiny? How much more taunting, bigotry, and hate will it take for you to realize the fate of all mutants?"

Magneto had chosen a bad choice of words that time. In the eyes of the six teens, he had gone from a man with a sinister dream to a complete nut job. The master of magnetism had failed to realized that after everything the young teens had learned along the way, the most prevalent thing they learned was that they didn't believe in fate.

"I take it back," said Scott flatly, "You're not crazy...You're fucking eccentric."

The rest of the team couldn't help but laugh, which only made Magneto angrier. The metal gates that had been swirling around the six teens suddenly came to a stop and fell harmlessly to the ground.

"You've heard my offer...And you chose to refuse it. If you want to keep on living in Xavier's dream world, then fine...Do it! But be forewarned X-men...I will not let the likes of you stand in my way of fulfilling the destiny of all mutants!"

"Go fuck yerself bucket-head," said Rogue, who was already too annoyed to listen to anymore he had to day.

With an angry grunt that almost sounded like Wolverine for a moment, the master of magnetism left. His words fell on deaf ears and the six teens could safely say that they had dissuaded him from ever trying to preach his genocidal dreams to them again.

"You think he'll be back?" asked Evan as they headed back over to the car.

"Probably," said Kitty knowing it was only logical, "But I bet when he does come back...He'll be PISSED."

"Let him come," said Scott, "He knows we don't want any part of his dream and after what we said to him today...I don't think he'll try any recruitment plans on us anymore."

"Amen to that mien friend," said Kurt as Scott started the engine.

* * *

Unfortunately, as soon as the six teens arrived at the school they were greeted with the sight of numerous news vans and dozens of reporters. It looked like the Professor's fears were justified, but Principal Kelly didn't just bring the press...He bought the entire media. 

"Great...Just what I need. More pressure..." said Jean as she felt a sudden surge of anxiety upon seeing all the news personnel.

"Don't let them scare you Jean," assured Scott as he gently put a hand on her shoulder, which helped calm her down somewhat. "Just look at it as a way for more people to hear our side of the story."

"I know Scott...But it doesn't change the fact that I'm no real public speaker."

Scott gave her a reassuring smile as she turned to face him.

"That really doesn't matter for this Jean. Just remember...I'll be up there later to help you out after you're done."

Jean let out a deep sigh as she tried to expel all her stage fright for the sake of this one little speech.

"Come on you guys! Hurry up!" said Rogue from the entrance as she saw the pair still lagging behind.

"We'll be there in a sec Rogue," said Scott as he turned back to Jean, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Then that's all you'll need."

Jean managed to smile back at him this time. The time had finally come to give her speech to the people that now hated and feared them. With that thought in mind Jean gave Scott one last deep kiss before heading for backstage.

"For luck..." said Jean as their lips reluctantly separated.

And with that, they both went off to tend to their respective preparations. The stakes of this meeting tonight were very high...And now it was time to finally start it.

* * *

The meeting began with Principal Kelly taking the stage. Being the one who orchestrated this spectacle, he would preside over it. The school board sat in the front of the auditorium seating in long tables. These would be the people that they would have to convince in order to let them stay in school. But from the looks of it, Kelly wouldn't make that easy for them. And he seemed confident enough that he wanted the media to see humanities triumph over mutants tonight. After the initial proceedings, the meeting was finally underway and Principal Kelly began to speak. 

"Ladies, gentlemen, parents, teachers, members of the school board; you all know why I requested this meeting so soon so I won't bother to repeat myself. We are here tonight to discuss the safety of our schools. And we are here to determine what courses of action we must take to ensure the domestic tranquility of our children here at Bayville. As you all probably know by now, the sentinel attack on Manhattan a few weeks ago exposed six students of our school as mutants. For those of you who don't know, a mutant is a genetic abnormality written in one's DNA. While most mutants in nature die off rather quickly...The mutants that now reside in our school have abnormalities that go beyond anything natural. Mutants are by definition mistakes in the human gene pool. The blood of our species is now corrupted by the presence of such mistakes...And to allow them to live freely among us is simply asking for a catastrophe! Ask yourselves...Do you want your children in a school with a boy with a couple of bazookas for eyes? Do you want your children in a school with a girl who can put somebody in a coma just by touching them! Do you want you're children in a school with somebody whose true form resembles that of a demon! Do you want you're children around somebody who can make razor sharp spikes come out of his skin, manipulate thoughts, or walk through walls! Do you! We simply can not allow our children to be threatened by such dangerous freaks of nature!"

A cheer of approval erupted from the crowd as Principal Kelly finished those last few words. Backstage, Jean listened anxiously as he continued his assault on all things mutant. He attacked her, he attacked her friends, and he attacked the Professor. Through all this Xavier seemed somewhat collected even in the face of Edward Kelly's words of intense hate. Jean looked over behind the stage curtain to see Scott setting up for his own counter-argument after she was done. She then looked out to the crowed and saw Kurt, Kitty, Evan, Hank, Ororo, and Rogue nervously watching the proceedings that would eventually determine their fate. Knowing her friends were counting on her, Jean took several deep breaths to prepare herself for what she was going to say. After what seemed like only minutes, the time for her speech finally arrived.

"Thank you Principal Kelly," said the head of the school board as Kelly stepped off to the side. "Now, it is by the request of both the board and the wishes of Charles Xavier that one of his students speak before we cast our vote. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Jean Grey."

Jean took a deep breath as she made her way to the podium. Then, she felt all the TV cameras focus on her. Everybody in the auditorium looked back up at her as if she was from another planet. Some clapped, but many others booed or yelled insulting slurs at her. She felt her legs begin to shake as the walk to the podium seemed like the longest walk of her life. Just then, she felt a warm voice in the depths of her mind.

'Don't worry Jean, I know you can do it.'

It was Scott's voice through their mind link.

'I hope so Scott...I just feel so nervous. Some the things I planned to say...I don't think I can do it.'

'Yes you can Jean...I know you better than anybody ever has, or ever will. You're strong...Strong enough to do this.'

Jean took a deep breath as she stood behind the podium.

'Don't forget...You're not alone. You're never alone. We're all here with you Jean.'

Then, Jean finally stopped shaking and stood ready to speak.

"For any of you who don't know me, my name is Jean Grey. I became a student here last September and up until a few weeks ago, I was doing quite well overall. I played on the soccer team, I got good grades, and I never had any disciplinary problems. I'm also a mutant. I have the power of telepathy and telekinesis. And because of that you're threatening to kick me and my friends out of school. We haven't done anything and we're already being punished for it...Simply because we were born a certain way. I could stand up here for hours and recite some famous quote from some well- known civil rights leader...But I know that wouldn't do any good. I know I can't say anything that will just up and change your minds. But since I'm up here I might as well tell you our side of the story. I know that because of all the fear and confusion about mutants lately, everybody has been only exposed to one part of the mutant phenomena. But there are two sides to every story...You can't escape that. I'm not here, to gain sympathy...I'm here, to gain empathy. Most of you came to this meeting out of concern for you kids. And...You'll love them no matter what they can or cannot do. You're here because...You fear for your children's safety. You're here...Because you love kids..."

Jean then started to get a little choked up as she prepared to say her next line. She briefly caught a glimpse of her friends in the audience, looking back up at her hopefully. Knowing that what she was going to say next would be difficult, she continued on.

"I'm glad to see...That so many of you love your children...Because my parents didn't love me. My parents...They hated me...And they didn't hate me because I was a mutant. I don't know why they hated me so much...But I guess I can never know that. My friends and I have had to live with so many painful things in our lives and we've worked so hard to get to the point where we can actually cope with those things. I...I won't lie to you. My friends...Scott, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue...We've all tried to kill ourselves at least once...Because we've struggled so hard simply trying to deal with being so different. And because of men like Professor Xavier, we've been able to take control. We've been able to see the powers that we have been blessed with as gifts...Not curses. We're not soldiers...We're not freaks...And we're not monsters. We're just people...We're just kids. We have a heart in our chest, a brain in our head, and a soul in our being. Granted there are some bad mutants out there...There are also bad non-mutants as well that are just as dangerous. You may argue that...But when it comes right down to it...It's too true to ignore. There's more to mutants than just powers...There are people behind those powers. And it is the people who make those choices on what they do with those powers. I've chosen to use my powers to help people. And if people out there would just give us a chance...Then maybe we won't have to be so afraid of the world. A very wise man once said 'We have the power...It's just a matter of how we use it.' And how we chose to use it...Is up to us."

As she finished those last words, a small group of cheers came up out of the crowd from near where her friends were sitting. It quickly spread throughout the auditorium, as Jean's words seemed to deeply affect the people who heard them. While some, like Principal Kelly, remained unmoved by Jean's speech; she still wasn't done. There was one last thing to do before she stepped down.

"Thank you...And before I step down and await your vote...We have one last thing to do by special request from Professor Xavier. I may be able to speak to you in one way...But I can never make things clear enough for everybody. However, I know somebody who has made things so clear for me in the past...That I think it would be a crime if he didn't come up here and share that clarity with the rest of you. He always spoke to me in a way that helped me understand things I couldn't...And he is, and always will be, my best friend. Now without further adieu...My life-long friend Scott Summers."

Then, the curtains rolled back and Scott stood on stage before the crowded auditorium of people and the dozens of news cameras along with them.

'You did a good job Jean. I knew you could do it,' said Scott through their mind link.

'Couldn't have done it without you Slim...Now come on and sing your heart out.'

Then, a loud, haunting guitar rift echoed through the auditorium as Scott began to play a song on his guitar for both him and mutants everywhere.

* * *

Later on that night back at the mansion, the weary X-men stood in a somber silence as they waited for the verdict from Professor Xavier. The night had been a tiring experience for all of them. By now they were so exhausted they didn't realize Logan coming through the main doorway. Immediately, he noticed the awkward silence.

"What's goin on? There a funeral nobody told me about?" asked Logan at the sight of their disposition.

"No...We're just waitin' for the Professor to tell us how it all turned out," said Rogue.

"Well...What do you think they decided on?" asked Logan as he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator.

"I don't know man...Principal Kelly seemed pretty determined to kick us and any other mutant out of Bayville for good," said Evan hopefully.

"Well, I think Jean's speech made some serious headway," said Kitty.

"Ja, and that song Scott played was pretty powerful too," added Kurt.

"Well...Let's hope that's enough," said Jean as they continued to wait for the final decision.

After a good 10 minutes, the Professor finally wheeled in to the room with Storm and Beast following behind. The rest of the team then held their breath as the room fell silent...

"Well?" asked Scott hopefully as they awaited the Professor's response.

Professor Xavier just smiled at his students...For he finally had some good news to report to them.

"The school board voted. And...Well, you all get to stay."

A great feeling of relief came over the team upon hearing those words. It seemed like the first good thing to happen to them in months.

"Wow...What made them change their mind?" asked Evan still finding it a little hard to believe after seeing so much initial hatred.

"I think both Jean's speech and Scott's song did the trick," said Xavier as he watched his students celebrate in their triumph.

"I'll bet Principal Kelly wasn't too happy about that," said Kitty with a grin.

"Be that as it may, you've all been given another chance," said Xavier with a great deal of pride in his voice, for his students had achieved a much- needed victory. "But I must warn you...This is only the beginning. This decision doesn't change the fact that everybody knows who you are now...And you will face people who will still be intolerant about it. However, I have faith that all of you will make the right decision. You all have come a long way in the past year...And I just want all of you to know how proud I am. You have faced things nobody, mutant or not, should ever have to face. And you will be forced to face more challenges in the future as well. You are all taking the first steps in the history of the mutant race. And while I know that it is a lot of pressure to put on you, I believe that all of you will do great things...With the power you all have been blessed with."

* * *

AN: One more chapter to go! I can't believe this story is finally almost over! I can't tell you all enough how much I enjoyed writing it and I can't express enough gratitude to those who have taken the time to read this long story. There is one more chapter left...The graduation chapter. While there are many other stories that could come from this...I feel that I must end it for the sake of closure. Well, stay tuned one last time. I'll try to make it quick, but it will be kind of sad for me to see this fic end. Don't forget to review! I'm always open to any of your criticism! Email me at or post your reviews on This is my story...My AU. And I am honored that you all have read it this far! Thank you and best wishes to all of you!

IT'S ALMOST OVER! REVIEW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!


	39. Graduation Day

**X-men: Evolution of the Heart  
Chapter 38: Graduation Day**

****

* * *

This is it! The final chapter of "X-men: Evolution of the Heart!" It's been a long road up to this point and I can't thank everybody enough for taking the time to read this story! I have really enjoyed writing this and I can't thank you all enough! I that this final chapter leave with some sense of closure and I hope it fits in the long plotline that I have worked so hard to create. Well, I won't waste too much more time. But before I begin...One last shout-out to my faithful reviewers!

Aimtbj: It's great to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last few chapters. I was a bit worried at first about changing some of the episodes too much, but I'm glad to see that you think I got it right! I can't thank you enough for being such a great reviewer throughout this story and I hope you enjoy the final chapter!

Darkness1: Yeah, that speech took lots thinking on my part. The show didn't do a very good job of making it mean a whole lot in my opinion. And yes, this is the end sadly...But fear not! I already have another story in the works after this one! I hope it can live up to what I've done here. You have been such a wonderful reviewer since this story's beginning and I can't thank you enough! I hope you like how I end it and I hope you enjoy the stories that I have yet to write! You rock and thanks again my friend!

Idypebsaby: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It took a lot of effort to write the speeches and make them strong enough to have an impact. And yes, this will be the last chapter. And don't worry! This story will stay up as long as will allow it! I wouldn't even think of taking it down! Feel free to save it or download it if you like it that much! I have greatly enjoyed reading your heartfelt reviews and I hope you like the final chapter! Thanks again and peace out my friend!

Enchantedlight: I'm glad you liked the last chapter and the song I chose to represent it! Linkin Park has always been one of my favorite bands and I think that their songs best describe the feelings that the X-men have to deal with in this story. I can't thank you enough for being such a nice reviewer for this stories duration and I hope you like the final chapter! Thanks again and best wishes to you!

Oceanbang: I'm glad you like how I changed some of the aspects of the whole "Day of Reckoning" part of the story. I think that the show needed a bit more realism in that part, but that's just my opinion. Thank you so much for your generous reviews and I hope you like how I end the story! Enjoy!

Quill of Molliemon: I know...Principal Kelly is one gene racist bastard. But at least he didn't get his way in the end! They all got to stay! I'm glad you liked the speech because it was a real challenge to write. The show didn't really push it too far, but that's just my opinion. And I agree with you...Linkin Park RULES! I knew I just had to use one of their songs in this story before it was over. And "Somewhere I Belong" is one of my personal favorites! Thank you so much for your kind reviews throughout the story and I hope you like how I choose to end it! Enjoy!

Sentoris: Ah, my friend! You have been a great reviewer of this story from the beginning! I'm glad you liked the speech and I agree with you that the show didn't make it strong enough. And that's some creepy coincidence that you ended up listening to that song as you read the lyric at the end of the chapter! Weird isn't it? I can't thank you enough for being such a kind reviewer throughout this long story! You have really inspired me to put and I can't express enough gratitude for it! I hope you like my next story just as much as this one and I wish you the best! Thanks again and enjoy the last chapter of "X-men: Evolution of the Heart!"

Kaliann: I'm glad you see why I did what I did in the beginning. I kept their past as a recurring theme throughout the story because I think that it portrays more powerful emotions in my opinion. I'm glad everything is coming together for you in the end and I hope you enjoy the final chapter! You have been such a wonderful reviewer and I thank you for your kind words! Enjoy!

Ryuu of the Broken Lightning: I'm glad you're back in time for the final chapter! I too, am a huge Linkin Park fan and I listen to their music almost every day. In listening to their songs I thought that they best described the feelings portrayed by the X-men in general in all universes be they comic, movie, or cartoon. I just had to use one of their songs in this story! I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much for being such a kind reviewer through the run of this story and I hope you like the final chapter! Enjoy!

Star-of-Chaos: I'm glad you liked Rogue's choice of words! I think Magneto kind of had it coming. Thanks a lot for being such a nice reviewer throughout this story and I hope you like the last chapter!

Ranndie Mazda: Thank you for your kind words on Jean's speech! I really thought that the show could have done more with it, but that's just what I think. And I'm glad you like my choice of song! I believe Linkin Park's "Somewhere I Belong" best describes the overall feeling portrayed in this story. I hope that this last chapter gives you and the rest of my readers closure on this story. It's been a long fic, and I'm somewhat sad to see it finally end. I'm honored that you think I have talent! It really means a lot to me! You're kind words have really been an inspiration throughout this story! Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the final chapter of "X- men: Evolution of the Heart!" Thanks again and peace out!

SHAWN PROVONCHA: Thanks a lot for being such a loyal reviewer throughout this story. I know it's been a long time since this story's inception and I thank you for reading it! I hope you like the last chapter! Enjoy!

ASGT: Yeah, I can't believe it's over either. It's been a long story, that's for sure! And you've been a great reviewer the whole way! I too am somewhat sad that this story has to end, but don't worry...I have another story in the works! I'm sorry, but I don't think that there will be a sequel to this story. I just don't think it can happen. Now, I can only hope that I end on a positive note. I'm sorry if it disappoints you, but every story must end at some point. I will keep writing though, just not on this story. I hope you have enjoyed reading this lengthy piece and I hope you enjoy my future work as well! Thank you so much and I wish you the best my friend!

Mrs. Myxztipik: If you haven't seen that episode, I strongly recommend you watch it! It's very good and I really like it! And I'm glad you like my choice of song. Linkin Park is one of my favorite bands and I just had to use one of their songs in this story! Thank you so much for your kind words and I hope you like the final chapter! Enjoy!

IcyLeo: I agree with you...Linkin Park RULES! I'm glad you liked the Jott and Kurtty moments I added in addition to the plotline. And yes, this is the final chapter! After so long it's finally here! Thank you so much for your kind words and your wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoy the end! Peace out!

KSimonT-X: Thank you for such kind words! I'm honored that you'd go so far as to say that I'm the best, but I think there are others out there far better than me. I have worked so hard on this story to bring out a new universe for the X-men and see them in a whole new light. It's still somewhat sad to have it end, but don't worry...I have another story in the works! You have been a wonderful reviewer and I thank you again for reading my story!

Mrs. Trunks Briefs aka Pan: I'm glad you liked my use of Jott in this story! I've always been a big fan of them. I hope you like the final chapter and thank you for reading my story!

Wen: You my friend, are the best! I can't thank you enough for your wonderful comments since the beginning of this story! They have been such a joy to read! You have really been a wonderful inspiration to me and this story throughout its long plot! I hope you like the final chapter! You rock and I wish you the best! Peace out my friend!

That's it! That's the last of the reviewer responses! It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here! The final chapter...Enjoy!

* * *

Life had never been easy for Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, Kitty Pryde, Evan Daniels, and Rogue. They had been through hardships that few have ever had to experience. They all came from terrible, broken homes. Each one of their pasts' was riddled with the pain of beatings, assaults, and rapes. They had either lost or never knew their own parents. But in the end, they survived. While there were some things that they could never forget no matter how their lives turned out, they had lived through them and fought their way past the pain.

Through all this, the six mutant teens found a bond that was as strong as any family. Some were closer than others, but it was still a family in every way except blood. But they didn't need blood...They only needed friendship...And each other.

It had been two months since the school board decided to let the six mutants stay in school and it had been one month since the newly rebuilt institute opened its doors once again. It had been by no means easy. Hazing, harassment, and prejudice were a way of life in the halls of Bayville High and among the public in general. Some people shunned them, some people tried to pick fights with them, and some people just plain ignored them. But there were a few who didn't do all these things...There were still a few average people who didn't hate them because they were mutants. And that was proof enough...That they had chosen the right path. Now, the day of graduation had finally come. Scott Summers and Jean Grey, two people who shared a bond beyond description, would be there to accept their diplomas. While people like Principal Kelly tried to prevent them from getting to this point, they still made it. Now, they and the rest of the group rode along in Scott's red convertible towards Bayville to attend the ceremony that would be their passage in to a new world.

"Man...I can't believe you guys are graduating all ready," said Kurt as he sat back and let the warm summer wind blow through his fur.

"Hey, I'm just as shocked as you are Kurt. To be honest...I didn't think I'd ever live long enough to see something like this," responded Scott in a somewhat dazed manner, as they drove ever closer towards Bayville High.

"Yeah, me neither. I never would have believed I could graduate high school if you had told me only a year ago," said Jean who was still kind of nervous, for this was a big step that she and Scott were about to take.

"So, like, what are you two going to do now?" asked Kitty.

"I don't know," said Jean as she shook her head, "Scott and I have already been accepted in to NYU, so I guess we'll go to college and think of something there."

"Man with you two gone it's gonna be hard dealing with all the new students that will be coming in. I heard the Professor saying something like a dozen or so new recruits would be at the school by September," said Evan.

"Don't worry guys...We'll probably stay at the institute most of the time even while we're attending classes. You know we still got to stick together even after all this," said Scott.

"Yeah...Well we always have," said Rogue as she watched the scenery speed by.

"Amen to that!" said Kurt.

"And to make things easier on you guys, I recently heard that Principal Kelly isn't coming back next year," said Jean cheerfully.

"Really!" exclaimed Kitty, "That's great! I don't like to say bad things about people behind their back but...Principal Kelly is just too big of a prick!"

"Yeah, anybody would be better than him," said Evan who was equally elated by the news.

"Well, just remember guys...Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst," reminded Scott as they stopped at a red light.

"Yeah, with our luck yer probably right," said Rogue knowing their track record with luck.

As they drove along in the warm summer heat, they were followed by the Professor and in his car along with Hank, Logan, and Ororo. It was a proud day for all of them, for they felt they had overcome a lot of obstacles to get to this point with their students since they had found them half dead at the docks a little over a year ago. They had gone from homeless, traumatized, under nourished kids from the streets, to successful high school students. And now two of those students would be graduating today.

"It's going to be quite a day, ain't it Chuck?" commented Logan as he leaned back casually in the back seat next to Ororo.

"Yes, indeed it will be old friend. They've come a long way to get to this point," responded Xavier as they got closer to the school.

"You must be very proud Charles," commented Hank, who was driving, "They have really changed since they first arrived. They were once a group of scared, damaged young teenagers...Now two of them are graduating high school today."

Charles Francis Xavier couldn't help but smile at his friend's words.

"I am proud of them Hank. They have faced more hardships than anyone I know. They have survived child abuse, living on the streets, Magneto, and the Phoenix. And they have grown so strong in the process. But remember...It wasn't just I that helped them."

The rest of the institute teachers smiled back, for they knew what Xavier was trying to say.

"And don't forget my friends...This is only the beginning. By this time next year we will have nearly three times as many students to deal with. And they will have to face many challenges as well with people like Magneto and the friends of humanity...But I believe that we can succeed."

"Three times as many students? You think we can keep the place in once piece with a bunch of super powered teens?" asked Logan in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh come on Logan," laughed Ororo, "I thought you liked to live dangerously."

"Hey, if I had to choose between controlling a bunch of wild mutant teenagers and battling Magneto...Hell, I'd have to choose Magneto."

* * *

Finally, both cars arrived in the crowded Bayville High parking lot. The bustling surge of other students and their parents was already large. This was a big day for everybody there. It appeared that the seats in the Bayville stadium would be filled to capacity today. As Scott pulled the car in to an open spot, he immediately hopped out and headed towards where the Professor was pulling in.

"Hey Scott, where are you going?" asked Jean.

"I've gotta see the Professor. He wanted to talk to me about something. Don't worry I'll catch up!"

Not thinking that it was a big deal, Jean headed off with the others. As the Professor's car stopped and he was wheeled out, Scott was already there waiting.

"You wanted to see me sir?" asked Scott.

The Professor just smiled as he moved his chair off the special ramp from the car.

"Yes Scott, I was just wondering when you planned to ask Jean the big question," said the Professor.

"Oh that," said Scott scratching the back of his neck knowing fully what the Professor was referring to, "Well...Tonight hopefully."

"If ya don't chicken out," said Logan as he walked over from the other side.

"Yeah thanks for your vote of confidence Logan," quipped Scott in a sarcastic tone.

Just then, Ororo stepped out.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this Scott? I mean...You're both still young and this is a big step. Graduation is one thing but this..." said Storm, but soon found herself trail off.

"Trust me...I've never been surer of anything in my life," said Scott confidently, even though on the inside he was still very nervous.

"Then I take it you have the ring with you?" asked Hank.

Scott just patted his pocket.

"Hasn't left my pocket all morning."

The Professor couldn't help but smile. His two oldest students had come so far from the depths of poverty and despair. Now they were both about to take some of the biggest steps they could make as adults.

"Well then...With that settled, I suggest you catch up with Jean and graduate. We'll all be in the stands cheering for you," said the Professor.

"Thanks Professor...For everything."

And with that Scott ran back towards the school where he would meet up with Jean. This left the four adults to make their way through the crowd of excited students and parents towards the bleachers.

"So Scott's really gonna ask her?" said Ororo.

"Come on Ro! Don't tell me you didn't see it coming!" said Logan with a laugh.

"Of course I saw it coming Logan," retorted Ororo, "It's just so soon and they're both still young. Even if they are legal adults now it's still...It seemed like only yesterday we found them huddled in a dirty warehouse...Alone and scared."

"Yes, I share your feelings Ororo. They have come a long way since that fateful day. But they all have had to grow up a lot faster than most people their age. They have had to go through things few others have had to deal with. And I trust that Scott and Jean are strong enough to make their own decisions about their lives now."

Ororo didn't respond after that, but she still felt somewhat amazed that this day had come so soon. She knew it wouldn't be long before other students, namely Kurt and Kitty, would have to make the same decisions. Things were moving so fast now that is was sometimes hard to keep up with it all.

As the four teachers met up with the rest of the students, the Professor suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye and stopped as the others started to make their way to the stands.

"Charles...Aren't you coming?" asked Hank as he looked back.

"I'll catch up," responded the Professor, "I have to meet somebody first..."

"Well...Okay, we'll be waiting," said Hank as he made his way up the bleachers.

Xavier then wheeled himself over towards a cluster of trees behind the far end of the field. From it, one could see the ceremony in the distance. As the Professor wheeled closer towards the figure he had seen earlier, his identity became clear.

"It's good to see you again...Slayer," said the Professor as he approached mutant warrior that had helped them against the Phoenix several months ago.

Slayer just smiled back as he casually leaned up against a tree. He was wearing the same strange armor that he wore the day he met the X-men. He still had the same sword, markings, and tattoo over his eye.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world Professor Xavier," said Slayer as he shook the Professor's hand.

"Yes...It seems like it's been so long."

"Yeah...Well I've been all over the place lately. It's been hard finding time for myself."

"What exactly have you been up to?" asked Xavier curiously.

The mutant warrior just laughed and shook his head.

"Trust me Professor...You don't wanna know."

"Well, I'll take your word for it. But I'm glad you're here now. We still haven't forgotten about you just so you know."

The mutant warrior couldn't help but smile at that. He was so used to being seen once and forgotten all together. So this was a much-welcomed change.

"Thanks...That means a lot to me," said Slayer, "So I hear you may be getting a lot of new students at your institute very soon."

"Yes...It's going to be quite crowded, even with the expanded renovations that were recently completed," replied the Professor, "You know Slayer...The offer we made you before still stands. I'm sure my students would be happy to have you as a part of the institute and I'm sure we could use the help with all the new recruits coming in."

The mutant warrior didn't say much after that. He simply sighed as he gave Xavier his response.

"I know the offer still stands Professor...But it is still better if I don't. I know your students would want me there to join, but it's just easier if I let them be. Besides...From what I've seen in the past few months I've been away, you really don't need me. You all did pretty well in the face of the sentinel attacks and the exposure of mutants everywhere. You need not worry Professor, the X-men are strong enough without me."

"Well that's a shame...You know, ever since you left your words of wisdom have really helped guide the team in a positive direction."

Slayer simply smiled back, for he knew because he saw his affect even though he wasn't there. And all the more benefit of having an eye that sees everything.

"I know...I saw Jean Grey's speech to the school board two months ago. Please send her my thanks for using my words in such a powerful speech."

"It will be done Slayer," said Xavier. "So tell me, have there been any other cryptic visions of the future that we should worry about?"

The mutant warrior just shook his head and smiled.

"I can't see the future Professor...Nobody can anymore. The future of your team was forever obscured the moment you all stopped believing in fate. Hence...Neither I, nor any other can tell you completely what's in store for the X-men. But from what I do know through simple observation...The hopes within the minds of your students have finally seemed to brighten despite years of darkness. And if my all-seeing eye doesn't deceive me, then there will be a very special event at the Xavier mansion very soon, concerning the keeper and the savior."

Xavier knew what he meant by that and couldn't help but grin.

"So I take it you already know the outcome."

"Yes well...I don't need any ancient power to tell me that."

"Indeed, so I guess that means that you really are just here to see Scott and Jean graduate and not warn us of any more impending doom."

"Sorry, not this time Professor," laughed the mutant warrior, "Just little old me here to see the two beings that saved us all go off in to the dark and dangerous world. Even with the challenges they have yet to face...They will always still have a small piece of the Phoenix inside them. And they will always be at heart...The keeper and the savior."

As the mutant warrior finished those words, the music on stage began to play. The ceremony was about to commence.

"Well you'd best be getting to the stands now Professor, less you miss the big moment," said Slayer as he continued to lean back against the tree, looking towards the stage where Scott and Jean would go to accept their diplomas.

"Won't you come up to watch with us?" asked Xavier as he turned his chair around.

"Don't worry, I have a great view right here," said Slayer referring to the tattoo over his eye.

Xavier just smiled as he started to head back to the stands.

"Until the day we meet again Charles Xavier..."

"I look forward to that day Slayer...And thanks again for all you've done."

The Professor wheeled himself to where the others were sitting as the music continued to play.

"What was that all about Charles?" asked Storm curiously.

"Just meeting up with an old friend Ororo."

* * *

As the entire senior class of Bayville started to file out to the seats in the center of the field, Scott and Jean stood back for a brief moment...Taking in this pivotal event in their lives.

"This is a big step Scott...I can't believe we're doing this," said Jean unable to hide the excitement she felt.

"Believe it Jean...We've come this far, now it's time to take another step," replied Scott as he put his cap on and prepared to head out.

Jean smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer towards him.

"Just so you know...I never could have done this without you," said Scott as the distance between their faces got smaller.

"Me neither Scott...Thank you."

"I love you, remember that Jean."

"I love you too, always have...Always will."

They shared one last deep kiss before they went out on to the field.

'So any ideas how you wanna celebrate tonight?' sent Jean through their link as they made their way towards their seats.

'Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something,' replied Scott with a somewhat suspicious tone.

'Scott Summers...Are you hiding something from me?' joked Jean as they both took a seat next to each other.

'It's a surprise...You'll find out what it is later tonight.'

Jean's curiosity grew upon hearing that and wanted to know more, but the ceremony had started now and she would have to find out later. Principal Kelly sat up near the table with the diplomas, but he wouldn't be speaking. The school superintendent would do that much to the relief of all the Xavier students. As he took the stage to begin his speech, Jean gently squeezed Scott's hand as they prepared for a new beginning.

"Good morning. First of all I'd like to thank all the parents for coming out here on this glorious day. I'm glad you're all here because this is a big event for all the seniors of this fine school. Remember that when you leave today, you will no longer be just kids anymore...You'll be adults. You'll be your own person. You'll be ready to go off in to the world and leave your mark on the places you go and impact the lives of the people you meet. This has been a very big year for all of you. In these past nine months, there have been some historic events in the world...Events that will surly affect both us and many other generations to come. These are not easy times...There is still a great deal of confusion and fear out there about all that has happened. And these events have greatly affected the lives of some of our own students at this school. While I can't tell you exactly how I personally feel about this...I can say that my feelings will change the course of history just as much as yours will. The issues, controversies, and revelations that have yet to come will all have an impact on you all...Because you are the future. You are the...Evolution of a generation. And with that thought in mind...I present to you, the graduating class of Bayville High!"

Cheers erupted from the stands as the superintendent stepped down and students began to walk up on stage to accept their diploma. For the six teens of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters it was like a dream. From the depths of despair, abuse, and poverty they had come so far. No longer the poor, starving kids from the streets, they were now grown up...Ready to face an uncertain world. They all cheered as both Scott and Jean went up to get their diplomas and while they were on stage they looked up toward their friends and smiled. No words could be said to express the feelings of accomplishment that they now had as they both walked off the stage hand and hand. As they looked over the vast crowd, they noticed something in the distance. Or rather, they noticed someone.

'Congratulations you two...You definitely deserve this. You both should be very proud. Now, the future is up to you...'

The voice of Slayer, the mutant warrior that had helped both them and the rest of the team so much, echoed in their minds with. As they saw his faint outline in the distance they simply smiled and waved, knowing he would see them. Scott, Jean, and the rest of the X-men couldn't help but smile, for the accomplishments of this day would not be forgotten. While Jean went back to her seat, Scott stayed on stage and slipped back behind the main platform for the grand finale of the ceremony.

'Are you ready Scott?' asked Jean through their link as she took her seat again.

'You bet...I've been working on this song for over a month. Thanks for helping me with it.'

'What do you mean? I didn't help. You know I'm not at all musically inclined,' said Jean not understanding why he was thanking her for something she didn't help him with.

'That doesn't matter Jean...You still helped. You were still a great inspiration to this song.'

'That's sweet of you Scott, but I think you're giving me too much credit here,' said Jean as she couldn't help but blush.

'Come on Jean...You know I can never give you enough...'

After that last thought the superintendent took the stands again with one last announcement.

"Thank you seniors...I wish you all the best of luck in whatever future awaits you. And before you all leave and head out in to this strange and uncertain world, we have one last little treat for you. Back by special request and with help from our award-winning band...I give you, Scott Summers."

Some clapped, some cheered, but there were still those that booed. However, that wouldn't stop Scott from saying what he needed to say through song. As he took the stage with his guitar in hand, he looked back towards his friends and towards Jean...And smiled. He noticed that Kurt and Kitty were gently holding hands...Hinting that someday he might not be the only one ask what he planned to ask tonight with Jean. The past can never be forgotten...And sometimes the wounds suffered from it can never fully be healed. But with the help of genuinely kind-hearted people, and through the power of true friendship...And love...A true sense of peace had finally settled over the six mutant teens.

When the cheering finally quieted down, Scott began to play his song. And as the haunting tune echoed in to the air, it reminded the X-men of how far they had come...And how far they had yet to go.

In the distance, Slayer was still watching. He had seen the turmoil that Scott Summer, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, Kitty Pryde, Evan Daniels, and Rogue had faced. They had suffered a lot...And he could see many new challenges ahead for them in the future. Many of these challenges would put their strength to the test in the face of a world that both feared and hated them. But along with such hardships, he also saw happiness for the team. Some of them would come together through friendship...While others came together more profoundly through love. But whatever challenges awaited the X-men, Slayer knew one thing for certain...They were strong enough to over come it...And they would determine their own future.

* * *

AN: THE END! That's it! It's over! "X-men: Evolution of the Heart" is finally over! I can't believe it. After working so long and so hard on this story it has finally come to an end. I poured so much in to this and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read this very long story. Now it's finally over. I had to put my character, Slayer, back in there for one final scene. I plan on putting him in another story in the near future, so if you like him you haven't seen the last of him! I'd love to know what you all think! PLEASE send your reviews to me at or post them on Thanks again for reading! It really means a lot to me and it will keep me writing for as long as I dream up new ideas! Thank you and best wishes to you all!

I'd like to give a special thanks to those who have been loyal reviewers to this story. You all helped inspire me and from the bottom of my heart I think you: Optic Red, Jen, Sweet Like Chocolate, AC/DC, Darkness1, commander-cane-7, Lexan, inuyasha0001, damien455, JapaneseDragon/Ryuu of the Broken Lightning, Lazerwolf/Phoenix, Katlin, Sprocket, Quill of Molliemon, IcyLeo, Kaliann, Oceanbang, Spectra2, Sentoris, Aqueous, SHAWN PROVONCHA, KSimonT-X, enchantedlight, Mrs. Myxztipik, ASGT, aimtbj, Mrs. Trunks Brief aka Pan, idypebsaby, Star of Chaos, reddfire, and a very special thanks to Wen...You especially rock!

_You have the power...It's just a matter of how you use it._


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